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POSTED ON Aug 2, 2022 1:35:51 GMT

[nospaces]

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[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]It was no secret that Raphael Pryde's scientific endeavors were a bit outside the norm for Rocket. With M.A.G.M.A making an explosive resurgence and For The Glory of Rocket sentiment at all-time highs, most of Rocket's endeavors were about extracting as much power and knowledge out of anomalous Pokemon as they possibly could.[break][break]

Pryde's research had the same goals, but was tackling it from a different angle. While to many Rockets Pokemon were merely tools, some accepted that there was power in the bonds they formed with their trainers. In fact, some even sought them out instead of accepting it begrudgingly![break][break]

Isaac was in the latter category. The big soft spot he had in his heart for Pokemon was one of the most noteworthy traits he had as a grunt, second only to his strangely prolific rate of mission completions. A competent, talented Rocket with a heart maybe a bit too gentle for his own good. Really, when it came to candidates for this sort of research, Isaac was a natural fit.[break][break]

Maybe that was why, as soon as he heard about Pryde's research, he made a point of striking up an appointment with the man. When the time of the appointment drew near, Isaac approached his lab. Every Rocket's station was different. Some were clinical. Some were surprisingly homey. What would Pryde's be like?[break][break]

Well, only one way to find out. He gave the door a cautious knock. "Hello? It's Isaac, here about the evolution research."[break][break]

Kwfl4JZG

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]247 WORDS / Raphael Pryde

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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Lloyd Kvar

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POSTED ON Aug 3, 2022 20:59:57 GMT

Lulu Flint likes this

[nospaces]

[attr="class","prydeimg"]

[attr="class","header"]Bond Study

[attr="class","setting"]

The lab is always in constant movement. Project on top of project was being looked at, and the lab was divided between those who worked for Lulu Flint and those that worked under Raphael Pryde who needed ways to try and modify pokemon better. Though Pryde himself seemed to be missing for the appointment. So when some random grunt is there it's not Pryde who greets them. [break][break]

"Yo yo," she greets at first before pausing, "I mean welcome," he changes her tune from a casual to a more professional. As if being caught doing otherwise was a no no. [break][break]

"You here to see Doctor Pryde or Miss Flint?"

[break][break]
[attr="class","oocnotes"]

+ Isaac Merlo

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[attr="class","milkcredit"]milky

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Wanderer

The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Aug 3, 2022 21:28:54 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]No yos allowed? Damn, Rocket kept a tight ship being run. It was a weird feeling fof Isaac. Sure, he was building up somewhat of an infamous reputation (if he had to guess on a scale of 1 to 100, somewhere around an 81, maybe?), but that didn't mean he was above a good yo now and then! Besides, Random Grunt #74 was chill. He liked the cut of their jib.[break][break]

He waved off the concern, a casual grin on his face. "Psh, it's fine. Grunt's honor," Isaac said. There'd be no narcing on this sub! Not while Isaac was here. "And, yeah, I'm looking for Dr. Pryde. He in today?"

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Raphael Pryde

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

[/quote]

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King

Lloyd Kvar

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TAG WITH @pryde

POSTED ON Aug 4, 2022 10:30:12 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","prydeimg"]

[attr="class","header"]Bond Study

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"Tch for you, but professionalism is an expectancy here," the lab assistant counters with her laid back character back to the fore front again. Clearly she was new, and the other had no idea how her bosses like to run things. A laid back attitude gets you no where here. [break][break]

She does ponder for a moment to recall which project he was currently working on, snapping her fingers as it finally hit her. "Yeah he was in surgery, though he should be done soon but we can take a look," she gestures for the other grunt to follow her as they would pass other people working on projects. "Hope you aren't squeamish or anything," she warns him as they they enter the viewing room Pryde allows. [break][break]

In it there is a sedated Lucario on the table and Pryde handing something over to one of his assistance though his body covers up what it is. "Guessing you're here for the Evolution experiment right?" she ask curious As Pryde begins to clean himself up.

[break][break]
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Wanderer

The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Aug 4, 2022 12:00:08 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Isaac was getting closer to squeamish than he'd care to admit nowadays. But like hell he'd ever say it outright. Besides, it was really more of an emotional association than anything. If anything, exposure in the waking and dream worlds alike made guts themselves a lot less physically unnerving to Isaac. "I'll be fine," he said, waving the concern off casually.[break][break]

Sure enough, Dr. Pryde was somewhere in this surgical room, removing and passing along something from a Lucario. When they said friendship came from the heart, they didn't mean it literally! Okay, phew, that joke was out of his system without risking 74's licelihood. Nice save.[break][break]

Part of him burned with curiosity as to what Pryde could be fiddling with. Part of him didn't even want to know. The only thing both parts could agree on was the hope that, when the Lucario woke up, it'd be with all of its vital organs where they should be. This was just a surgery, not a pre-humous dissection, surely.[break][break]

"I am, yes," Isaac said. "Honestly, I'm glad at least someone here's looking into it, instead of just dismissing it outright."

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Raphael Pryde

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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Lloyd Kvar

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TAG WITH @pryde

POSTED ON Aug 4, 2022 18:52:49 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","prydeimg"]

[attr="class","header"]Bond Study

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"Honestly, I'm glad at least someone here's looking into it, instead of just dismissing it outright." [break][break]

That gets a chuckle from the young lab tech an 'oh honey,' on the tip of her lips but she doesn't say it. Clearly this man had no clue what was going on. Though she is sure most who came in for her boss' project didn't. Heck she barely even understood at times. "Yeeeeeah suuuuure," she chuckles sarcastically as she has had experience with the Doctor. [break][break]

Now cleaned up Pryde gives an order to the remaining surgeons before he exits, they nod around him as one seems to grab at something. When Pryde enters the viewing room a brow raising at the unexpected audience as he looks at the wall for the time. "Your 10 o'clock is here for the Bond Project sir," she informs her professional tone and mannerisms back. He gives a nod as he removes his surgeon gown and trashes it. [break][break]

"Ahh," clearly things ran longer than he expected they would, "Thank you for waiting Mr Mermo, Jenson help with clean up afterward will you?" she nods and Pryde would gesture for the young man to follow him. If Isaac were to look back through the viewing window he would see the surgeons putting a sheet over the body. "How long have you been with us Mermo?" Pryde questions figuring he would gauge the other as they want to a different portion of the lab.

[break][break]
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Wanderer

The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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POSTED ON Aug 4, 2022 19:19:22 GMT

Aug 4, 2022 12:00:08 GMT Isaac Merlo said:

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Oh. That was the sheet of unpleasant medical sites. Yeah, that wasn't the kind of surgery this Lucario was getting back up from. Hopefully. If something got back up after an operation that left them in an unviewable state, they'd probably need to be put out of their misery anyway.[break][break]

74's "suuuuuure" echoed in Isaac's mind. Bonds be damned, Rocket was still Rocket.[break][break]

Nevertheless, Isaac followed Pryde into his little shop of horrors. He knew what he was getting into when he came here. At this point, he'd encountered enough of Rocket's higher ups to know the score. He was a lot of things; too tender for his own good, too stubborn for his own good, too in deep to just pull out of this life. But he wasn't completely naive.[break][break]

"It's been about four months," said Isaac. He joined Rocket shortly after his last birthday. In other words, he'd passed 21 and went bust. Blackjack had proven quite the apt codename. That was a quick amount of time to find so much success and failure, so many friends and enemies, a love he'd never forget and a trauma he'd never escape. No wonder he already felt like an 81. But it was Arceus' own truth. "How long have you been with them?"

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Raphael Pryde

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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Lloyd Kvar

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TAG WITH @pryde

POSTED ON Aug 7, 2022 9:32:54 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","prydeimg"]

[attr="class","header"]Bond Study

[attr="class","setting"]

Pryde just chuckles at the answer, “I see so you’re a just mut,” he muses with some jest in his voice. ”I have bee a part of Rocket longer than you’v been alive boy, not something many can say really,” he admits as he has seen many come and go. Some of their own accord and others in body bags. Who knows where this boy will end up. [break][break]

Finally they get to the part of the lab were he kept the Riolu he has come to collect for his project. Several of them were sparing with a one eye Lucario, most of them not seeming to stand much of a chance. Outside the one with the blueish purple fur. Though that wasn’t one he was planning to give, “On a scale of 1 through 10 how well do you think you get along with pokemon Merlo?”

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Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Aug 7, 2022 22:24:33 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]"For real?"[break][break]

That wasn't an answer Isaac expected to hear. Sure, organizations big enough to challenge the Pokemon League in two regions didn't spring up overnight. But how old could Rocket actually be? Isaac's guesstimate of 10 years was clearly off. "How old is Rocket, anyway?" he asked, unsure just how much of a response he'd get from Pryde.[break][break]\

It also meant that Pryde was a survivor of the last Rocket regime. The regime where old members who didn't go along with the new order were being hunted down and taken out. Hell, he may have even been older than that regime. Something told Isaac that a lifer like this wasn't going to go along with a nobler face of Rocket like the Kantonian propaganda vids presented because of any moral imperative. No, no. He was going to be a clever one. And dangerous.[break][break]

It'd do Isaac well to avoid being on the wrong end of that scalpel.[break][break]

The Riolu sparred with their . . . parent? Caretaker? Isaac couldn't be sure. But whatever the case, they seemed to fall naturally into a unit. It would've been adorable if it wasn't for the ominous lab tucked into a Team Rocket submarine base. He watched them carefully, giving a particularly curious glance towards the one who hadn't been joining the fray.[break][break]

At Pryde's question, he smiled a little. "It's funny. I never expected to work with them as much as I do, but I've been finding out I've really got a knack for it," Isaac said. "I'm pretty good at intuiting what a Pokemon wants, and my team's been warming up to my very quickly. Hell, it feels like the teammates I work closest with know what I'm thinking before I even say it half the time. I give them a lot of independence and trust, and they've yet to ever let me down."[break][break]

"So, about an eight or nine, I'd say?"

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Raphael Pryde

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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King

Lloyd Kvar

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October 24

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Ex-Head Scientist

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i used to dream in the dark of palisades park.

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TAG WITH @pryde

POSTED ON Aug 10, 2022 20:27:45 GMT

Cillian Quinn likes this

[nospaces]

[attr="class","prydeimg"]

[attr="class","header"]Bond Study

[attr="class","setting"]

"Rocket itself is quite old, however I don't believe they made any sort of real name for themselves until the war started in Kanto?" he clarifies some though doesn't give an exact number. He watches the purple Riolu strike aggressively, pryde taking special interest in this one seeing as to where it came from, as the other seems to want to give him his life story. [break][break]

He asked a simple question, and expected a direct answer not this 'im so in tune' explanation. If he were being honest those he hired while he did respect some of them, such as Cillian Quinn, but there was also a small hint of distaste at the idea that the people he is hiring are befriending these tools. Least they were all getting the job done. [break][break]

Pryde gives a whistle grabbing all the canines attention, "Subject I Attention," he calls out. The one Riolu near the wall that wasn't really participating looks up. Seems reluctant about moving before Pryde raises his right wrist up. The movement enough to know the concequences as they jump up and run forward at reluctant attention. "This will be your subject," he says to Isaac, "It tends to be distant so maybe you can make use of your 'eight'"

[break][break]
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Wanderer

The Liberator

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April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Aug 10, 2022 22:23:00 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]So Rocket was just another face in the crowd until they sparked a war in Kanto, and thus began their rapid ascent into the organization standing before Isaac today. Interesting. That said, he elected not to weigh on it. From the lack of response to his prior answer, he got the sense that any further words would just overstay their welcome.[break][break]

Honestly, it was kind of peculiar to Isaac. He'd expected a touch more screening than this. After all, there were a lot of things "good with Pokemon" could have meant. A strong battler? A dedicated trainer? A comforting presence? A diligent researcher? No two trainers were alike, and each Pokemon's different nature would've lent itself to a different approach. Instead, Pryde just boiled it down to a ruthlessly efficient equation. Input: number. Output: dog.[break][break]

And what a dog to pick. Pryde had chosen a quiet, moody Riolu near the edge of the action, ushering it forward with a very telling raise of his wrist. Isaac's eyes narrowed at the gesture. Yeah. He already empathized with the listless, lonely creature, having spent far too many years of his life in a similar wallflower state. But seeing an older man raise a hand to it? Yeah, that brought back some memories.[break][break]

Pryde wanted him to put that 8 to good use? Oh, he'd put it to good use, alright. "Understood," Isaac said, giving a nod in Pryde's direction. If Pryde wanted Isaac to cut the extra words, he sure got his wish. The rambling nervous energy that Isaac had before was gone. Now only a quiet, intense focus took its place, simmering behind a poker face of obedient calm.[break][break]

He looked down towards the Riolu. Would its aura help it detect the warmth behind his focused facade? Or were its abilities not developed to that point yet? "Come on, now. I think we've got some work to do."

[break][break]

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]317 WORDS / Raphael Pryde

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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King

Lloyd Kvar

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