all of sootopolis was theirs. it was for this reason that it was easy enough to secure a meeting place where they would have total privacy. it wasn’t that these were secrets. quite the opposite, but she wanted penelope livy’s full attention. she wanted her to get everything.[break][break]

the shadows beneath the overhanging roof of the office building had been watching as the journalist approached. nervous? lulu couldn’t tell—not from such a distance. as penelope drew nearer, her shadow shifted and slipped back inside inconspicuously. her heels clicked towards the door, and she pushed it open.[break][break]

”hello, miss livy. come in, please,” she ushered. the smallest smile curled on her face, but it looked almost out of place. she was not a woman accustomed to offering smiles at strangers, even on business.[break][break]

beyond her was a corridor, leading to a handful of offices on the right, and couple of meeting rooms across. situated within were large tables, and too many chairs. perhaps an awkward place for a meeting of two, if not even a little creepy given the total emptiness of the building—but it was quiet.[break][break]

”first door on the left.”

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY [break][break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-darkrai"]

An unfamiliar face emerged from the now opened door, greeting the reporter with an uncanny smile.
[break][break]

"Ah, thank you."
[break][break]

Confidence wasn't a feeling she was all too accustomed to today, however, that didn't mean she'd allow herself to appear vulnerable in the eyes of the beast. So, with an upright posture and practiced bright smile, she'd nod and enter the ominous office building.
[break][break]

It was awfully quiet-- far more than any other office she had ever visited in the past. And the workspaces...there was an obvious oversaturated of chairs left scattered around the overly large tables. A twitch of uneasiness flicked her stomach, but again, there was no turning back from this.
[break][break]

Not yet, at least.
[break][break]

Silently, she followed the woman's straight instructions and walked towards the first door to her left. It wasn't until she walked inside the next room that would she inquire further.
[break][break]

"Are you the person I've been in contact with?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Lulu Flint[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

following, lulu shut the door behind them for no reason in particular, considering the building was empty. [break][break]

she approached the table, gesturing to one of the many seats before taking her own.[break][break]

”i am.”[break][break]

her eyes were discerning, as though trying to feel out the root of the question.[break][break]

”you’re safe, miss livy—in case it’s any concern.”

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY [break][break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-darkrai"]

Penelope took one of the many seats without much of a complaint. Her hands naturally folded on the table, replicating the pinnacle of professionalism.
[break][break]
"I appreciate knowing that, but I was just making sure," She smiled, sweetly. It would be rather unwise to start unraveling the root of her visit to some stranger, and since there wasn't a photo attached to her online persona, there was no real way of telling otherwise.
[break][break]
"Where should we start? You mentioned providing Hoenn a solution to Meteno's 99943's impact?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Lulu Flint[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

lulu gave a smile back. such an expression rarely looked very genuine on her face, and this time was no exception. if only a snake could make itself look polite. [break][break]

”hm,” she hummed lightly in response, giving a small nod and allowing the moment to pass. [break][break]

at the first question, she shifted and drew a breath. where to begin?[break][break]

”we at team rocket have been aware of the meteor’s trajectory for hoenn for quite some time. as in months. we acquired the information from league scientists, presumably without their knowledge. we’ve known about the plan to warp it for just as long, and have been working on our own technologies based on league knowledge at that time—as a back-up. we may all be at odds,” her smile went flat. ”but we all live here, don’t we?”[break][break]

she folded her own hands, lacing fingers on the cool surface of the boardroom table.[break][break]

”while i can’t elaborate on the full details of those technologies, i can tell you we will be attempting to achieve something similar through hoenn’s bountiful natural resources. warping, that is. if the league’s attempt fails, we will be there to make our own. call it our greatest service to the world. it’s been very expensive.”

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY [break][break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-darkrai"]

Unfortunately for Penelope, she had gotten far too used to the false niceties of the corporate and political world. Their smiles-- the ones of politicians and CEOs -- never strayed too far from the one she currently wore.
[Break][break]
At first, just the scientist began to answer the initial question the reporter posed, sparks of anticipation were firing off from inside her stomach. But, as she continued on, they slowly died out, withering into flashes of dull colors that spelled out nothing of notable interest beyond the unfamiliar source they came from.
[Break][break]
That's it? You're just going to rehash the same cruel plan the league's already in the works of executing?
[Break][break]
In all fairness, she could at least appreciate them remaining on theme-- unoriginal, without morals, and set on survival. But, on the other hand, she had at least hoped that this disregard for the moralities would at least induce some level of innovation. Something new.
[Break][break]
Years' worth of interviewing had taught the woman well enough to conceal the disappointment she felt. Bright eyes and a polite smile obscured these feelings instead.
[Break][break]
"Sounds inefficient," She commented, brows raised, eyelids lowering. "Has there been any attempts for your team to work alongside the league's staff?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Lulu Flint [break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

lulu’s smile faltered at penelope’s response, and there was a small pinch that formed in her brow. [break][break]
”no. why would we share and waste time collaborating with them when they are so secretive? do you honestly think they would tell us everything we needed to know to be useful to their operation? we had to steal information that should have been public. they knew for months about the meteor. what about the other regions? what about scientists all over the world that could have been working on this?”[break][break]
she scoffed.[break][break]
”they want to warp the meteor to another inhabited world. is that something you support? would you like me to help make that happen?”[break][break]
there had been, perhaps, a flaw in penelope’s judgement. if penelope had assumed they’d be warping the meteoroid to sea hoenn, like the league, she was mistaken.

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY [break][break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-darkrai"]

She was right.
[break][break]

Despite being the one asking the question (more out of dutiful obligation than interest), Penelope was well aware of the answer that would leave the scientist's lips and the disgust that would overtake her expression.
[break][break]

What she hadn't expected, however, was the response that followed. Had she been mistaken? Was there more than she initially thought there to be? Curiosity twitched her smile further upward. Slowly, she leaned forward, the edge of the table digging further into her delicate wrists.
[break][break]

"Of course not." For once, her own opinion would slip in -- a consolation for the misunderstanding. "It's a cruel plan the league is pushing forward."
[break][break]

She shook her head, eyes narrowing at the table space between them.
[break][break]

It did nothing but force unwanted blood onto the hands of hoenn's citizens. Their lives for another -- a decision made by a governmental official miles away from their own homes.
[break][break]

"I apologize for misunderstanding. You're completely right."
[break][break]

She paused, sipping a gulp of air through her parted lips.
[break][break]

"But, if not sea Hoenn, then where would you be redirecting the meteor to?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Lulu Flint[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

her stare remained bitter, but she continued, willing to answer what she could. the world deserved to know that rocket—no, she—was doing everything possible to hold onto its future.[break][break]
if not sea hoenn, then where? it was a question she should have seen coming, and one which she knew didn’t have the most appealing answer.[break][break]
“elsewhere. if we’re lucky, not inhabited.”[break][break]
her fingers laced atop the table.[break][break]
“good intentions without a guarantee are still better than intentional genocide, don’t you think?”

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY [break][break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-darkrai"]

"I agree," She nodded. Threat or not, catapulting the meteor back at sea hoenn would only further blur the lines of what's seen as just or immoral. It made her wonder how commissioner dahlia goode could push forward with such plans, while simultaneously disparagng the rocket for taking similar measures towards their own fight against the league.
[break][break]
But, to be fair, politicians are natural hypocrites.
[break][break]
"How successful have the tests been? As of right now, is the project likely to succeed?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Lulu Flint[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

of course she agreed. it was only reasonable. lulu’s stare didn’t change, not rendered any more friendly by the shared opinion.[break][break]

at the reporter's question about their success thus far, she suppressed a sigh. unfortunately, it didn’t work until it worked. how was she say how likely it was? it was all new.[break][break]

”i certainly hope so. we've not successfully warped anything yet, but do we believe we're getting closer.”[break][break]

to have to admit that they hadn't gotten there yet, as though it meant anything, was nothing short of irritating.

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY [break][break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-darkrai"]

Penelope didn't allow herself to falter against the harsh intensity of the woman's stare. Stand strong no matter the circumstances, that was the motto she kept by during these types of investigations. Like a lamb clothed in wolf's fur, it was vital for her survival .
[break][break]
"Ah, I see."
[break][break]
It couldn't be helped. Warping didn't appear to be the easiest thing in the world -- despite the league's statements of confidence. There are plenty of cracks for mistakes to slip through from, much more than she could ever possibly imagine.
[break][break]
Shifting in the crinkled leather seat, the woman readjusted her legs, recrossing her left over her right. The heat of the room crept up her neck in the form of droplets of sweat, slipping down in groups of twos and threes. "So, that leaves me to ask: what is it that you want the public to know exactly? Just of this project's existence?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Lulu Flint[break]


[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-ditto"]

”that team rocket is trying to help. that we’re doing our part in defense of humanity, which includes the civilians of hoenn, and the league. that our intentions are to protect the well-being of all people.”[break][break]

even without specifics, it was enough for a story, wasn’t it? a mention, even?[break][break]

“i imagine it will mean more coming directly from you, rather than a comment on one of HBS’s articles.”

[attr="class","ooc"]PENELOPE LIVY [break][break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-darkrai"]