[attr="class","icon"]

"no, it wouldn't."[break][break]

not when they've already spent months building up momentum. the scales are tilted in their favor. to do anything other than being offensive would mean allowing it to tilt away from them. this is something elisabeth understands well.[break][break]

"do you know why we won the war in kanto?"

[attr="class","icon"]

"timing and unity."[break][break]

he explains.[break][break]

"we were equally aggressive in johto as we were in kanto. despite that, the invasion failed because we were spread too thin. we were too divisive within our ranks, which was to be expected when factoring in the differences between those operating in kanto and those in johto, but we failed to bridge this divide."[break][break]

which ties into his next point.[break][break]

"we can be as aggressive as we want here but it would amount to nothing without unity. it's why SILAS BLACKWELL failed, betrayed by his own, and i worry that it might be our downfall once more."

[attr="class","icon"]

he nods, agreeing with her comment about the rat.[break][break]

"the transfer of power is a more glaring evidence that even those high up in the chain of command do not see eye to eye."[break][break]

a small nod is given to her bellossom before he reaches for a cookie.[break][break]

"blackwell was an authoritarian. he led through fear which he believed enforced loyalty. but what happens when fear isn't enough?"[break][break]

he continues.[break][break]

"his invasion on verdanturf and fallarbor was sabotaged from the start, leading to the arrests of multiple rocket personnel which left him to fend for his own."

[attr="class","icon"]

her joke slash inquiry is taken as the latter, so he answers it accordingly.[break][break]

"declan's elusiveness lends to his allure. many fear what they do not know yet respect what he chooses to present. so i suppose he is a politician."[break][break]

he chews on his cookie, swallowing shortly after.[break][break]

"the rifts will soon be points of contention. we need to be united, take the fight to them, and continue doing what we sought out to."[break][break]

a beat.[break][break]

"conquer."

[attr="class","icon"]

"it'll likely come down to timing like you said. whoever moves faster will have the advantage."[break][break]

and traditionally, team rocket have not been known for their speed. sootopolis, for example, was an operation that took months of planning. with the rifts, they'll only have days to plan. hours, even.[break][break]

"objectively speaking, the one at mount pyre should be our priority. but the one at granite cave has my curiosity."[break][break]

ultra deep sea.[break][break]

"i've always been fond of the ocean."

[attr="class","icon"]

he nods, acknowledging her interest in the rift outside of petalburg. if he has time, he would not mind exploring that one either. actually, he would not mind exploring all of them.[break][break]

"then i suppose we will simply have to venture into them together."[break][break]

he offers with a faint smile.[break][break]

"can i trust you, then?"[break][break]

not just for the rifts and whatever may lie beyond them, but also for the future.

[attr="class","icon"]

"i would."[break][break]

he clicks his tongue, quick to correct himself.[break][break]

"i do."[break][break]

because beneath the masks they wear, the two of them are the same. they adapt, they learn, and they survive.[break][break]

with a final sip of his tea, he sets the cup back down, then begins to prepare for his departure.[break][break]

"i will let you know when the time comes for us to venture into the rifts. until then, i do hope you have a good evening, and thank you for the hospitality."