Like the good doctor, Skyler had reached the end of her work day. For the most part.

Wingulls screeched overhead as she checked and rechecked her equipment, swiftly changed out of her wetsuit, and finally made past the docks and into the city proper. For a brief moment, she mournfully thought of the leftovers awaiting within her own ship-apartment, courtesy of her husband.

But her steps didn't falter even as she lost sight of the sunset-streaked waters. Destination clear in her mind.

Though the salty tang of the ocean clung to her, Skyler could feel every inch she put between herself and the crashing waves. It wasn't painful, not really. But the awareness pressed into her mind, looming quietly whenever she thought to travel too far inland.

The clinic was modestly-sized compared to many of the city's neighbourhoods. Skyler paused enough to admire the amber-like glow of reflected sunset on its windows, then pushed past any hesitance to raise her fist and-

Knock knock.

That the head professor might not be around didn't even occur to her. It'd been a spur of the moment decision, to come here. But maybe, she thought, maybe fighting past her distrust would be worth it if it yielded some- no, any kind of answer. The captain had been choking on unknowns and dead ends and cheap tequila ever since she'd become an avatar.

So Skyler did her best to smother her own restlessness. And waited.

Eva Morales

☉

The knock knock echoes through the emptiness of the clinic, interrupting the rhythmic click of her practiced fingers working away at the keyboard. For a moment, she stops, listening curiously for a sound she thought she might have heard. A quick glance at the clock confirms the time. N appointments were scheduled after 6pm.

Blade, the Gallade, had also stirred from his rest against the wall of her office. They exchanged a quick glance, both wary of what may be summoning them.

It’s the Gallade that answered the door. The familiar psychic-type glared across the threshold with a rather vacant expression. He recognized the blonde from the AQUA Initiative which prompted him to open the clinic’s door fully, stepping to the side to invite the Captain in. He gave a nod of acknowledgment, ushering Skyler towards Eva’s office with a wave of his hand.

“Skyler?” Eva stood from her seat when she entered the office. The Meowth on her lap grunted in displeasure, using a nimble jump to perch on the desk. Eva didn’t hide the look of surprise on her face, “Is everything alright?” Immediately, her thought drifted towards angelo vestri. Hopefully the pilot was alright. Eva can’t think of another reason why Skyler would show up unannounced.

---

skyler dross

As luck would have it, the Head Professor seemed to be around. Skyler wouldn't have been surprised had the door stayed shut, the clinic lightless and empty. With all that was going on in Hoenn as of late, she couldn't imagine the professor would have a lot of free time to entertain unexpected guests.

Unfortunately, those thought also only occur to her as she's stood waiting in the middle of the street, under the light of a setting sun. Feeling somewhat like an idiot.

So when the door opened a sliver to reveal a suspicious red eye, something akin to relief bubbled forth in her chest. And when she was ushered inside to be met with the familiar visage of the professor, she couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips.

"Everything's - alright, professor."  In a manner of speaking. As far as she was aware, there was no urgency to her visit - it'd taken her weeks to finally make the trek uphill, to concede defeat in the face of her - very - limited amount of knowledge. "Sorry 'bout coming here unannounced. I didn't exactly plan it." A rueful smile lifts a corner of her mouth, in tandem with the gentle movement that reveals her necklace.

Unclipping it from around her neck, Skyler steps forward and hesitates. A white-knuckled hand grips tightly onto the ocean-hued orb, unwilling to let go. The thrum of power, like waves crashing on the shore, emanates from its surface. 

Something dark and greedy flashes in her eyes, there and gone the next moment.

"What do you know about the Blue Orb?"

Eva Morales

☉

Relief lifts the weight off her shoulders when Skyler confirms everything is alright. A small smile even tugs at the corner of her lips, “Oh, well that’s good,” the smile grows brighter, “What can I do for you then?” Eva remains standing, fingertips gently pressed against the wood of the desk.

They only lift to wave off Skyler’s apology, “No problem at all!” The professor is no stranger to spontaneity. Move moves around the desk so it doesn’t seem like such a barrier between the two. She silently watches and Skyler fiddles with removing the orb from around her neck.

There’s hesitation, Eva picks up on it. Combined with the tight grip, it’s enough for Eva to assume the sphere was precious to her, so when prompted, Eva doesn’t attempt to take it away from her. The doctor simply leans forward, fingertips gently brushing the smooth surface to tilt it closer for inspection.

There’s a long silence as she studies the orb. The Blue Orb. From the recesses of her mind, she pulls several files and brings them to the forefront. With her focus on the Red Orb and Groundon, she had naturally come across the legends of the Blue Orb being associated with Kyogre. It’s no secret Skyler had bonded with the titan.

Seeing an Orb in full and intact is memorizing. Eva thinks she can even see the ripples of crashing waves as the light of the room glistens off its surface, “The Blue Orb is similar to the Red Orb, which I have been studying,” she leans back, letting the sphere dangle at the end of the chain, “It holds the Primal Energy of the ocean, something Kyogre can tap into – and you can too,” her demeanor seems to shift, becoming uncomfortable.

The remainder of this is classified, but Skyler, as the avatar of Kyogre and keeper of The Blue Orb, has a right to know, in Eva’s opinion, “What I’m about to share with you is classified League Information, do you understand?” In other words, this meeting never happened.

---

skyler dross

The doctor's every movement as she studies the Blue Orb is carefully shadowed by a piercing storm-tossed silver, so much so that it's a miracle it doesn't burn a hole into Eva's lab coat.

Skyler quickly picks up on the good doctor's fascination with the Orb in the silence that settles between them, and her fingers twitch with an itch to snatch it away, back under the protective layer of her shirt. Away from peering eyes and unknown intentions.

But she doesn't. Just by being here, the captain is taking an enormous chance on the League's Head professor - and her inherent good intentions. Trust is a hard thing to come by these days, especially when it comes to this, but Skyler tries her best. The struggle is evident in the tension that locks her muscles without her realizing it.

Some of it leaks away when Eva leans back, apparently having finished her examination. Skyler shakes her head at the professor's words. "I have no more interest in this gettin' out than you do, Doc. The League knows about me being Kyogre's avatar, but I'd like to keep the information from the general public, if I can." She wasn't part of the Aqua Iniciative despite the her presence in their latest excursion. 

Her smile, when she turns it to Eva, is rueful. Far too casual for the words that follow.

"Y'see, I don't really feel like being another Bailey Cooper. Hoenn's got enough cautionary tales as it is."

Eva Morales

☉

Skyler’s desire for secrecy is understandable. It’s hard having the people of Hoenn focused on your every move. So much scrutiny, no more freedom. It doesn’t take a genius to know Captain Skyler Dross valued her freedom. Eva can respect that.

She nods in understanding, “Just between us then” her pink lips twitch into a little smile despite the somber atmosphere as Bailey’s name enters the conversation. At least Skyler did have a little background on what she was about to share.

“Yes, that’s what I’m trying to avoid as well,” well, not for herself, for whoever happens to be on the receiving end of Primal Energy. In her studies and research, Eva knows quite a bit on this subject. Skyler came to the right place.

Eva motions to a chair beside Skyler if she wishes to sit. Eva leans back against the desk to support herself as she crosses her arms over her chest. There’s a moment of silence and she figures out where to begin.

“Bailey’s avatarship with Groudon must have been strained. Not by their bond, but by the orb,” her gaze flashes back towards the sapphire sphere the Captain has in her possession, “Primal Energy is very powerful. It has the ability to course through the deity and avatar, building their strength and enhancing their abilities. However, that is not benign,” Eva shifts as the files in her head open to a particular page: Pathology.

“I was given the opportunity to exam the remains of Bailey’s Spoink, the one that carried the Red Orb when she first made contact with Groudon. It seemed to die from the same cause as Bailey: Primal Energy Intoxication,” She raises a hand to indicate she has another point, “However, I have seen Primal Energy work in people without any obvious side effects,” She’s referring to when a number of people during the encounter of Groudon were granted some of its power in order to calm the beast, “In that case, the power was split amongst a few people. No one ever had full exposure suggesting it may be dose dependent.”

Eva glances over to Skyler to make sure she’s following along so far. Good? Good. Questions at the end.

“Primal Energy is not just limited to Avatar and Deity abilities and powers. I can be triggered by Mega evolution and z-moves to radiate a burst of energy, resulting in, as far as I can tell, the teleportation of pokemon, people, even objects, to other places,” Skyler would be familiar with one such place. They visited it together during the AQUA Assembly, “I haven’t figured out how the place is determined, but it may be associated with travel through time too,” as evident by their brief exposure to a Primal Hoenn during the Groudon encounter, “There’s still a lot of question I hope to answer, but the moral of the story is, be careful, Skyler,” Eva points towards the orb, “That’s a very dangerous object and may have life threatening consequences.”

---

skyler dross

It doesn't take long for her to realize that she'd come to the right place and, more importantly, the right person. Whatever thoughts had been floating around in her brain are shoved to the side as the Head Professor starts speaking.

Midway through Eva's speech, Skyler slides into the chair. A frown briefly touches upon her expression when the Professor mentions dividing the power between several people, betraying the captain's opinion on that particular solution. Still, she stays quiet throughout the speech, only nodding when Eva looks at her expectantly.

"Well, fuck." Not that the captain expected it to be easy, or instant. There was no such thing as easy when it came to meddling with powers of this magnitude, she knew.

She leans back, allowing herself a little time to digest the information. The Blue Orb feels heavy in her palm, thrumming with power that she knows, she knows she wouldn't be willing to part with. Or share.

Even if it meant death? Skyler can't tell, not with the way it calls to her. But at least she wouldn't go down quietly. Wouldn't go down without a fight.

"That's - a great help, Professor. Eva." Despite her somewhat somber thoughts, Skyler allows a lopsided grin to lift the corner of her lips, warm and genuine. "I don't know anything about Bailey's relationship with Groudon as its avatar before her untimely death, I can only speak of my own experience. Kyogre doesn't reach out often, and when it does-" Skyler stops, brow furrowing. "It's more akin to waves crashing in my head. Intent, rather than any form of complex communication."

Free me.

Skyler keeps that particular information to herself. She might haven chosen to place her trust in the Professor, but that gesture only goes so far. Not even Angelo knew about that particular detail. Maybe... later. If Eva proved herself trustworthy. "As far as I know, I haven't shown any signs of Primal Intoxication. But I assume that also has to do with the fact that Kyogre hasn't changed into- that other shape." Primal Kyogre - the one she'd seen during the Lilycove Warfront and, again, during their excursion into Sea Hoenn.

"What do you make of Sea Hoenn? The Sea Queen alone controlled that other version of Kyogre by herself. Powers trickled down to others, but..." No one else had been able to control it as far as Skyler had observed.

"Here." Reaching into her bag, Skyler pulls out a transparent box (a tupperware, it's a freakin' tupperware) within which rest the remnants of the Sea Queen's staff. "'M not sure these could be of use, but this is what I think she might've used to channel its power." A catalyst, maybe?

"Think you could do anything with this, Doc?"

Eva Morales

☉

The information Skyler seeks is not easy task. It’s been a slow, arduous process simply learning and understanding what she does today. A part of her feels like she’s behind – failing the people, people like Skyler who are at risk. Primal intoxication, the meteoroid, the space-time distortions, assassins using portals to buzz in and out of Hoenn. There are too many mysteries, and too little time.

Eva nods along as Skyler speaks, showing she’s paying attention despite the stream of thoughts coursing a path through her mind, “No one knows much about how the primal intoxication came to be,” Eva admits with a sigh. No one was there for Bailey’s death. As far as Eva’s autopsy could tell, it was a sudden rush or burst of Primal Energy that caused immediately liver failure and eminent death. Simply being in possession of the orb may be safe, but she has no data to back it up, “We can run some tests if you like,” a little blood test may give some clues as to whether or not the Primal Energy was already infecting Skyler like an invisible parasite, rooting to whatever living being it could.

The conversation shifts to Sea Hoenn and their excursion through an alternate world. Skyler sees to answer her own question whether she realizes it or not, Powers trickled down to others. It’s shared, but Eva’s eyes land curiously on the pieces of the staff, “Hm,” she reaches forward to grab a piece and inspect it closely, “Perhaps it’s a conduit or a reservoir, absorbing some of the Primal Energy, just giving the Queen what she needs,” Eva taps the staff with her finger, “Any idea what it’s made of?” Eva could likely find out with some microscopic analysis.

“Blade, can you retrieve the torch please?” The Gallade slumped in the corner shifts, nodding before disappearing in a flash of light.

---

skyler dross

"Maybe it's an opportunity to find out, huh?" Despite the apparent lack of symptoms, Skyler wouldn't dismiss the possibility of having Primal Energy coursing through her veins already. She expected it, in fact.

Hoped for it, even.

It would be an easy explanation for the edge she seemed to be walking lately, helplessly drawn into a spiral of impulsive, aggressive behavior. Skyler had always flirted with danger, high on the rush of stepping past the limits - but things had taken a turn somewhere she couldn't pinpoint. Control seemed to be a fickle thing these days.

But Skyler would rather swear off booze than to admit it. 

There's only a passing hesitation, there one moment and gone the next, before Skyler's rolling up her sleeve, casual-like. An eyebrow is lifted in lieu of cheeky invitation. "Feel free to jab away, doc." 

The Gallade disappears in a flash while Eva studies the staff's remnants. Skyler leans back, allowing the Professor to do what she did best. A frown touches her face at the question. "No idea. It broke easily enough. I assume they would have more or less the same resources we do." The sea people's world had been flooded, but in everything else it'd seemed like their own Hoenn.

Skyler eyes the staff, critical. "Honestly, it doesn't look all that special. Could do with a lick of paint, maybe. Probably some assembling too." Was it made out of some material capable of absorbing Primal Energy? Stop it? Or would it prove to be utterly unremarkable? Who knew. Skyler wasn't an expert in these things, not did she pretend to be. In that, she fully trusted Eva's own expertise. 

Eva Morales

☉

It certainly is an opportunity to learn. Thankfully, Skyler seemed eager to let her. This is an opportunity Eva couldn’t pass up, both the sake of science and Skyler. Eva wouldn’t let Hoenn lose another great trainer from something they didn’t understand.

“I appreciate it, Skyler. Thanks for trusting me,” a genuine smile follows. She would eventually collect the samples she needed.

The piece of staff in her hand is light and dense. It doesn’t feel like anything special. It’s smoothed out except for jagged splinters where it broke. Eva is hesitant to agree with Skyler that their worlds shared similar resources. The Captain may be able to tell her skepticism by the way her brows pinch together, “Maybe . . . their world is just so . . . different. Being overtaken by Kyogre for so long has drastically changed the environment,” it’s likely not wood from the Tree of Life. Eva tried exposing Primal Energy to Infinity Energy and it did not end well.

”We’ll have to analyze and look at it loser, see if we can figure it out. Have you exposed it to the orb yet to see if there’s some sort to f reaction?” if it harnessed or buffeted Primal Energy, there should be some sort of sign.

Blade returns with the torch in hand, “I’ll compare it to this as well,” she takes the wood from him, feeling the energy buzz beneath her fingers, “To be honest, I still haven’t’ figured out why this still works over here,” Eva was full expecting it to be useless as soon as they left. To demonstrate she flicks her wrist and arching whip of water reaches out the snap at the air.

Eva offers it to Skyler to look at, secretly hoping something special might happen if exposed to Kyogre’s avatar or the Blue Orb.

---

skyler dross

As the Head Professor studies what remains of the Sea Queen's staff, Skyler seizes the chance to study the professor herself. While the captain herself believes Professor Eva to genuinely have the greater good in mind (otherwise she wouldn't be here), that doesn't necessarily equate to Skyler's best interests.

When you look at the big picture, too often you lose sight of the details. Atrocities become easily justifiable. Just look at MATIAS SILPH .

Sometimes it's simply easier, Skyler thinks, to unashamedly embrace a more selfish and self-serving purpose. If you have to be vicious, do it on your own terms instead of hiding under the name of a cause you don't believe in.

"The Blue Orb and the staff have been in close contact, though not for a prolonged amount of time. No visible reaction," she tells Eva, peering at the shards of wood. "I have a collection of- odd objects I've gathered during my journeys. I usually keep them separate." Her lips quirk in a rueful smile. "Hard to fix a broken hull if they don't play nice." As she's unfortunately learned from personal experience.

Skyler accepts the torch with no small amount of curiosity, tracing its curvature with a calloused thumb. "You got this from your counterpart, right? Wonder why it works here..."  There's no disguising the sharp greed that momentarily flashes in the captain's eyes.

Perhaps running some tests would finally yield answers - both on the nature of the Sea Queen's Staff, Eva's Torch, the Blue Orb and the Primal Energy it exuded - and if its influence on Skyler was extending past the behavioral changes.

Eva Morales

☉

After the sample have been collected and their good baye have been said, the two parted ways, both likely brimming with anxiety as to what they might find – maybe Eva moreso than Skyler. In truth, if Eva found anything significant, she likely wouldn’t know what to do with that information anyway. It would only breed more questions she didn’t have the answers to.

It doesn’t take long for the results to come across her desk. The blood tests are quick, as Eva is quite practiced at looking for Primal Energy at this point. She summons Skyler back to her office at her earliest convenience to reconvene and discuss the results.

Skyler would find her in a similar manner to when she left her, pouring over papers in her office while a Shiny Meowth slept quietly in the corner, “Skyler,” Eva smiles when the woman returns, “Thank you for coming on such short notice. I was hoping to go over these results with you as soon as possible,” despite the concerning evidence she found, Eva’s characteristic brightness shines through in the smile she offers the Captain.

---

skyler dross