"..."

Of course the practical genius college student would be able to get it right off the bat.

"I suppose that was a little too easy, hm?" Barnaby shrugged his shoulders and waved his hands out in defeat, smiling good-humoredly all the while.

"It's a true Shadow, much like Underboss Merlino's Pokémon." He finally revealed, walking and talking with her as they moved closer to one of the observation rooms. It was a space reinforced for study of hyper-dangerous Pokémon... something that was definitely needed in this situation.

"I captured it here," By here he meant Sootopolis City. "When Necrozma took control of all the Shadow Pokémon."

Barnaby left out the part where the STEELIX nearly killed him, his Pokémon, and those around him. Fighting off the giant crystalline serpent had been one of the most grueling battles of his life.

"Let me show you. Careful, though," He warned, the humor in his voice having faded away. "It's still rather volatile."

With that, Barnaby lofted a Moon Ball into the observation room. What appeared was neither metallic nor silver, as one would expect of a STEELIX, but rather an intimidating monster composed of dark crystals jutting out from the core of its body. It was larger and more sinister-looking than a typical specimen of the species. When it's bulbous head craned around the room, taking stock of its surroundings, those bloody eyes spoke of an unsettling intelligence.

Ceri Glynn
M.A.G.M.A Research 🝪 Tier #2

☉

Cool wasn't quite the descriptor he'd apply to the Pokemon skulking around before them. Already, it was prowling the edges of its confinement, looking for points of weakness. At the corner closest to where they observed it, the STEELIX threw its body full-force into the wall. The shear strength of the movement rattled the thick glass in front of them.

Grotesque, perhaps, was a better word. Unnerving, even. Cunning. Defiant.

But most of all, powerful. That couldn't be denied, even though Barnaby wasn't aware of the full scope of its abilities just yet.

"I'm not very familiar with the difference between true Shadows and those that simply carry the genes, no." Barnaby's grey-toned EEVEE popped into his mind, along with her horrendously screechy SHADOW DOWN.

"This one is unlike any Pokémon I've owned before. Even with it being captured, it is still apt to disobey. Granted, we haven't been together long." Just shy of three months. It tolerated Barnaby's presence at this point, even listened to commands now and again, but it wasn't reliable.

"Perhaps I should ask Cillian Quinn for training advice." He added, only half-serious.

Ceri Glynn
M.A.G.M.A Research 🝪 Tier #2

☉

"Ceri, wait— you're using your Pokémon?" Was this facility not equipped with mechanisms better suited to test the Shadow Pokémon's abilities? Was there no better option?

Apparently not, as the Toxic Lizard quickly slipped through the observation room door at her trainer's request. It entered without any hesitation, the inside of it's mouth already blooming with flame.

Admittedly, the STEELIX completely dwarfed the researcher's SALAZZLE - the size difference was almost comical. Or it would be, if Barnaby wasn't so worried about his Pokémon killing Ceri's.

The crystalline serpent barely reacted when faced with another living creature within such tight quarters. Again, those unsettling intelligent eyes simply shifted onto the SALAZZLE. Watching. Waiting. It's tail wavered slightly, but that was it.

Then, the FLAMETHROWER came barreling out, spanning the distance between them. As if anticipating this, the STEELIX's tail slammed into the ground, prompting it's STONE EDGE attack. Except it wasn't a stone that jutted out from the floor, but a huge crystal... one that emanated a dark energy. It was erected just in time to block the SALAZZLE's fiery assault.

"Did you see that?" Barnaby asked, engrossed by what he was witnessing.

He spoke too soon, however, as the STEELIX wasn't finished. Besides the crystal used as a shield, more erupted from the ground around Ceri's SALAZZLE, threatening to skewer the lizard.

Ceri Glynn
M.A.G.M.A Research 🝪 Tier #2

☉

Barnaby nodded along with Ceri's explanation. It made sense. He remembered NECROZMA's dark influence, of course. How it's crystals had engulfed not only Pokémon on the battlefield, but Chu-e Choi as well.

The thought caused a chill to run down Barnaby's spine. They were dealing with a creature that could not be totally trusted. This power, after all, was caused by NECROZMA's influence. Who knew when it would turn on him, as he'd seen so many Shadow Pokémon do on the Darkest Day?

Still. Perhaps they could harness it's power in some way, use the crystals to ROCKET's advantage. Time would tell. All thanks to Ceri Glynn's efforts.

"I know you're busy, but I appreciate you keeping me in the loop. If you ever need me to bring it back in, just let me know." His eyes flicked to the glass beside them, outside of which he could see his STEELIX yet again slithering around the perimeter of the room. "I do wonder why using it's ability seems to cause it pain? It flinched when it used the crystals earlier."

Ceri Glynn
M.A.G.M.A Research 🝪 Tier #2

☉