Andrea and Chomper both observed the Tera Shard in Theo's hand, its familiar shape reminding them of the mass Terastallization that had occurred during the fight against the meteorite's alien resident. His confession that the Rockets were there to mine the otherworldly mineral left her ever so slightly upset.

"That's so selfish! The world could end at any moment, and you cared more about getting rich?" The dragon-hooded girl remarked in a judgmental tone. Granted, she could hardly criticize Team Rocket for being opportunistic in the face of planetary annihilation, when the League had plotted to do something much more heinous with their Primal Point plan.

"I almost attacked someone who was a friend back there." The young woman remorsefully admitted. "I didn't recognize her at first, and she hadn't even told me she was a Rocket..." She looked directly at Theo, trying to glimpse some truth out of that stone-faced expression of his. "What exactly did you mean when you said the world is not black and white?"

She was getting closer to understanding his cryptic words from way back when, but she wasn't 100% certain yet; a result of her childlike, optimistic mind trying to reject the constant wake-up calls from the adult world.

THEO BECKETT //mission

☉

"it was selfish of us, i agree. but could the same not be said about the league whose plan was to doom another world to save ours?"[break][break]

he poses a thought, leaving it up to her to deduce what she may from it.[break][break]

his stone-faced expression continues to hold, though it does soften slightly at her question. it seems she has taken what he had said to heart, and he's glad to hear that she didn't simply let it pass without much of a thought.[break][break]

"well, why did you almost attack someone then?"

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau[break]

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

The young PokéManiac did not respond to the first question, but her pensive silence said everything that needed to be said. She'd never approved of dahlia goode's plot to eliminate Sea Hoenn, but then again, she was just a nobody whose opinion hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things.

The second question brought the girl momentary pause. Why had she done it? If she detested conflict, why had she not tried to talk things out in a civil manner?

"I guess I did it because I assumed she was an enemy..." She hesitantly answered. "When that creepy, shadowy Pokémon started attacking the League's ships, I thought Team Rocket was there to do something bad." She stated.

THEO BECKETT //mission

☉

"and suppose it turns out that she wasn't the enemy yet you still attacked her. what would that make you?"[break][break]

a simple question is posed, hopefully not avoided like the previous one.[break][break]

the mention of a creepy, shadowy pokemon has him thinking it's Lulu Flint's darkrai. for obvious reasons, he feigns ignorance.[break][break]

"i'm not sure what pokemon you're referring to but i can assure you we were simply there to mine the material. selfish, perhaps, but interfering with the league was never our intention."

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau[break]

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

His simple question elicited yet another pensive pause. Andrea did not fancy herself enough of a special SNOWFLAKE to think that she was above accountability. Even so, having one's own faults brought to light was never a pleasant experience. If it was, then a lot more people would be going to therapy willingly.

"It would make me the bad guy." She replied after much hesitation. "But... I did what I thought was right... at least at the time." She added with a discomforted wince, realizing that those words did not belong to her; they belonged to horrible people who justified their awful deeds by claiming to have a noble goal. The DRK Triad readily came to mind.

Was Theo trying to gaslight her? She was fairly certain that blowing up FERNANDO SILPH's ship and sucking various others into a black hole counted as 'interfering'. Then again, she could not for the life of her remember which side had dealt the first blow.

"What's even right and wrong anymore?" The dragon-hooded girl mused with a dejected expression. "We've been told that wishing to see our Hoenn saved is wrong, but that can't be true. Hoenn is worth saving, I'm sure of it. But then... Why do we spend more time fighting each other than trying to save it?" There she went asking that pivotal question again.

THEO BECKETT //mission

☉

in all honesty, team rocket most likely dealt the first blow, but this is something he either can't remember or chooses not to.[break][break]

"humans are complicated, andrea. we're complex, each of us with our own upbringing, goals, opinions, feelings, and perspective. that is what makes us different, and it is through our differences that invite conflict."[break][break]

he explains, hoping to share some insight on her question.[break][break]

"to your earlier point, i would not say it would make you the bad guy. you would just be doing what you thought was right the same way your friend would."

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau[break]

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

"I see..." Andrea nodded understandingly, turning towards her Hydreigon and petting its middle head. The three-headed dragon responded by leaning against her hand, growling happily. "If humans and Pokémon can be friends despite their differences, then the same should be possible for humans with different humans. It's all about finding common ground." She shared a rare nugget of wisdom among the wide-eyed ramblings of a woman-child.

The idea that Team Rocket had their own perspective of what was 'right' had not occurred to her. And it prompted her to raise yet another curious query. "What is right according to you, Mr. Theo?" The man was a giant question mark in terms of his morality, but if she could get closer to understanding him, then perhaps... Nothing was impossible.

THEO BECKETT //mission

☉

the rare nugget of wisdom is listened to and appreciated with a nod of his head. he cannot help but add on to it, sharing his own experience as well.[break][break]

"sometimes, common ground may not be enough."[break][break]

as expected as her question is, he still takes a moment to think.[break][break]

"to be honest with you, i'm still figuring the answer out myself."[break][break]

he admits with a soft breath of a chuckle.[break][break]

"but a good starting point would be to continue doing what you believe in."

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau[break]

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

The young woman wondered what else would be needed for people to set their differences aside other than common ground. As usual, the Rocket underboss refused to elaborate. Could it be that some interpersonal vendettas ran so deep they couldn't be patched up by goodwill alone?

Snow soon began to fall upon the Silent Icelands. The already frigid, former grassland was covered under a creamy blanket of WHITE. It almost looked beautiful, if not for the icy graves of fallen warriors surrounding them.

"What I believe in... I believe in Pokémon!" Andrea declared with a warm smile, some of her signature peppiness returning. "I believe that Pokémon chose to bond with humans for a reason. Forming bonds makes us stronger, while fighting among ourselves makes us weaker... At least that's how I see it." She said, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head.

THEO BECKETT //mission

☉

having spent the majority of his life in an organization that discourages innocence and at times hope, to hear and see it before him is refreshing. it's a tug at the steel chains that tie him to the past, the present, and the future.[break][break]

but it's only ever enough to rattle. never to break.[break][break]

"that is a good belief to have."[break][break]

he nods.[break][break]

"then i suppose you'll have to keep forming bonds and become stronger so that in the future you may be able to prevent things like this from happening."[break][break]

a gesture out at the GLACIATE.[break][break]

"that sounds right."

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau[break]

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

A shiver that wasn't triggered by the cold ran down the girl's spine, as Theo's words reminded her of Kyurem. Was what he suggested even possible? Even the League's finest had been practically powerless to stop that monster. But if everyone could work together, complementing each other's strengths and covering their weaknesses, then maybe... Just maybe.

"Does Team Rocket believe in bonds?" Andrea asked. From what she'd been told, Rockets only believed in tangible things, such as money and power. However, she couldn't just take a biased Ranger's word for it.

THEO BECKETT //mission

☉

"the majority of us do, yes. but there are some who believe pokemon are only meant to be tools and nothing more."[break][break]

even now, it's difficult to shake that mindset that had long been instilled in him. there are exceptions, naturally, like his love for fishies and water-types. but for theo beckett, the majority of his pokemon are just that.[break][break]

tools. weapons.[break][break]

"but i'm sure there are some that feel the same in the league. do you know anyone like that?"

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau[break]

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

The young woman furrowed her brow, obviously disapproving of anyone who subscribed to the school of thought that Pokémon were just tools. But then, the taciturn enigma of a man posed a question of his own: What if that school of thought wasn't exclusive to Rocket?

Andrea couldn't think of many League members that fit that description. The ones she had interacted with were nothing short of cordial, and seemed to care deeply about their partners. To this day, there was only one man affiliated with the righteous League that had given her second thoughts...

"FERNANDO SILPH. It's not that he treated Pokémon like tools... He seemed to treat people like tools, yelling at them for making even one mistake. Then again, I only met him once at The Cloud, and everyone was acting kinda weird back there." The girl sheepishly replied, feeling bad for speaking ill of a man she barely knew.

"Other than him, I can't think of anyone else. Can you?" She added, once again staring quizzically at Theo.

THEO BECKETT //mission

☉