these are exciting times which is strange considering how excitement isn't something theo usually feels. but how could he not now? on the brink of discovery, he finds himself hoping for its success.[break][break]

this is what she has worked for, after all.[break][break]

backup arrives shortly, ready with muscle should things go wrong.[break][break]

"lulu."[break][break]

his bronzong floats forward like a wave, slowing near the end to hover beside the head scientist.[break][break]

"i brought naganadel should we need it."

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

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

“theo,” lulu acknowledged with a smile. the poipole gave a friendly wave, zipping closer to circle the underboss with a giggle.[break][break]

the scientist’s eyes shifted to the bronzong that hovered in. ”that makes nine, then.” a particularly good number in her book. while more had been offered, she decided to keep it to this lot.[break][break]

at the mention of naganadel, lulu’s eyebrows raised a little. ”maybe if things get out of hand. i’d rather not scare anyone. naganadel can be… a bit intimidating, i think.”[break][break]

eyes found her poipole again. ”penrose is good at making friends.” better than she was, at least.[break][break]

she ushered the bronzong towards a controlled dome in the center of the wide room. its thick glass would hopefully deter anything that might come through.[break][break]

”do you have any questions before we get started?” she looked over at theo. ”i don't think i have to tell you, this could go very wrong.” but what other choice did they have but to roll over to their synthesized fate? it was time to fix things, and explore. time to risk it all.

[attr="class","ooc"]THEO BECKETT [break]

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

theo offers the poipole a small wave, nonchalant and casual before he steps further into the room. he glances around briefly to take it all in, but more so for their safety should anything go wrong.[break][break]

after nodding at her comment about the naganadel, he looks at the poipole once more, then away into the controlled dome.[break][break]

"she is."[break][break]

another pokeball flashes open. the gothitelle that comes from it has already been made aware of its role today. hence, the FUTURE SIGHT that prepares it.[break][break]

"no questions."[break][break]

he looks at lulu, smile supportive.[break][break]

"ready when you are."

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

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"][attr="class","pkspr pkmn-gothitelle"]

”she?”[break][break]

was penrose a she? lulu wasn’t sure. in fact, she’d rather thought of it as more of a boy poipole, if anything, but she supposed either could be accurate. or neither, even.[break][break]

questioning it no further, she nodded at theo’s ready. excitement stirred in her chest. after a few strokes on a hologram, several more pokémon were released into the dome from a pc. eight of lulu’s own bronzong, and a recently patched porygon-z.[break][break]

”you know the mission, pz-01,” lulu prompted it through a mic situated near the computer. wide yellow eyes stared out through the glass in her direction. ”find what you can and signal back. if we don’t hear from you, we will send help for your retrieval. do not panic.”[break][break]

”penrose!”[break][break]

summoned, the poipole somersaulted over.[break][break]

”you have an important job today,” she explained, opening the door to usher the alien into the dome as well. ”i need you to ask the bronzong to open a portal to your old home. ultra space.” a pause. ”the world is ending.”[break][break]

she wasn’t sure if it understood, but regardless, she hoped its presence would be an inspiration. she also hoped that it wouldn't try to flee—but the system surrounding it was prepared to return it in an instant, should a portal open.[break][break]

the ultra beast went, and the glass door was sealed behind it. lulu watched intently as it hovered there, before the circle of psychic bells. beside it, the porygon-z awaited its potential voyage.[break][break]

though incomprehensible, penrose’s metallic voice could soon be heard through a speaker. for further encouragement, a tone a played, at the same frequency as the bronzong’s chime.

[attr="class","ooc"]THEO BECKETT [break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-poipole"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"]

the low ululations sound across the space around them, vibrating with an intensity that matches the anticipation in the room as they await the results.[break][break]

the patched porygon-z pings once.[break][break]

curiously, just once.[break][break]

"did we record that?"

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

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"][attr="class","pkspr pkmn-gothitelle"]

the tone of the bronzong’s chime was almost enchanting—and then it changed, to a note she hadn’t heard them hit before, and it originated from penrose, crying along with them. they seemed to know what to do; however, the result was no more than a sudden ping that sounded from her porygon. curiously, lulu let them continue, waiting for more pings that never came. [break][break]
”pz-01, do you have a signal?” she finally prompted through the speakers, to which the porygon-z shook its wild-eyed head no.[break][break]
”but you did.” briefly, and while whatever had answered back had apparently not stuck around to have a conversation, it was something. anything was big, especially considering nothing had shot at them in the process.[break][break]
when everything had quieted, lulu nodded in response to theo.[break][break]
”of course. camera’s always rolling during experiments.”[break][break]
her eyes returned to the pokémon in the chamber, and after pokeballs recalled the bronzong from around the room, she tentatively went to open the door for the porygon and poipole still contained. while doing so, she cautioned, ”i don’t think a portal will open, but stay alert. time and space are so finicky these days.”[break][break]
in a daze, penrose floated out of the glass confines. it looked at them both briefly before leaving to inspect the top of the dome, perhaps looking for where the bronzong may have disappeared to.[break][break]
”this is still big.” lulu turned her attention back onto theo. ”we might not hear anything back, but it means we can send a message.”

[attr="class","ooc"]THEO BECKETT [break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-poipole"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"]

theo can only look at lulu proudly.[break][break]

"it is big. exciting, even."[break][break]

even a science novice like theo knows that much. this means contact with life out there, and more importantly, it means whatever is out there has heard them and responded in kind.[break][break]

"it didn't sound like any of the ultra beasts i'm familiar with."[break][break]

but then again, it was just a chime.[break][break]

"megalopolans, maybe?"

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

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"][attr="class","pkspr pkmn-gothitelle"]

her smile swelled back at him, eyes beaming.[break][break]
”penrose has never made that sound before, either—at least, not around me.”[break][break]
was it the megalopolans?[break][break]
”cotillard told me their world was dead.” but on second thought, ”it could be that they’re traveling. or, he lied.” in which case, he would never again be the recipient of a whole man’s leg. that was for good aliens only.[break][break]
”or maybe it’s something else entirely. something we haven’t seen before—or someone.”

[attr="class","ooc"]THEO BECKETT [break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-poipole"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"]

it's good to see her smile. it warms him.[break][break]

"velmos did say they were trying to return home. it's possible they meant to rebuild their home should it be dead, but we can't be certain."[break][break]

he thinks for a moment, considering the many possibilities.[break][break]

"could it be what we saw at the space center?"[break][break]

when they peered into the future with bill, chryssa, and killian.

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

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"][attr="class","pkspr pkmn-gothitelle"]

the rebuilding of megalopolis?[break][break]
”i suppose that would make sense. we know there are more of them in the region. once a way out to ultra space is discovered, they’ll probably go straight there.”[break][break]
which meant they could follow them, and the secrets of ultra space and means to traverse it safely would be within reach.[break][break]
her thoughts were derailed by a memory, which theo plucked from the ether of her too-busy forgetfulness. she blinked. what had that mysterious celestial body been, anyways? there were plenty of possibilities to speculate on now, after all that had happened.[break][break]
”perhaps… we should try to make it back to the observatory soon. to have another look.”

[attr="class","ooc"]THEO BECKETT [break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-poipole"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"]

"and when they do, let's follow them."[break][break]

it's what they both want. to traverse into ultra space and unravel all the mysteries and secrets it has to hold. the thought excites him.[break][break]

at her suggestion, he nods, agreeing almost instantly.[break][break]

"we should. later this week, perhaps."[break][break]

for now, his bronzong floats back over to be recalled into its pokeball. he steps closer to lulu.[break][break]

"good work today."

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

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"][attr="class","pkspr pkmn-gothitelle"]

a smirk curled into her cheek at his suggestion.[break][break]
”i'm on board for that.”[break][break]
as for the space center, excitement only widened on her face. time with theo had been full of thrills, but few until recently had fed this part of her—but was it support out of love, or greed? she could only hope for both.[break][break]
”perfect. just let me know when.”[break][break]
his compliment was met with a nod and fondness in her smile at his approach.[break][break]
”pretty exciting stuff, eh? thanks for being here.”

[attr="class","ooc"]THEO BECKETT [break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-poipole"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-bronzong"]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"]