[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]"who knows what else they're capable of..."

her eyes sweep across their surroundings for what feels like the 100th time. and with the static around them, the sensation of electricity tickling their skin, she had been forced into piling her hair up into a bun at the top of her head.

the electrician they had brought with them is still hard at work. each time she thinks he's almost done, they find another thing to pry into with curious hands.

"perhaps we'll learn something from their technology, too."

that, or...

"if we could harness and power it without the xuritree source, maybe it'll be of use to the league."

against sea hoenn, against team rocket, against the very creators of this technology...

each threat could be nullified if they use this correctly.

PENELOPE LIVY
into the wilds.

"Hmm..."
[break][break]
Tech to this caliber was far from penelope's level of expertise. How to talk to people -- that was more her speed. Alas, it didn't seem like either the Meglopolans or Sea hoennians wanted that option, so here she was, forced out from her comfort zone.
[break]
[break]

"If they're using an Ultra beast, then I'm assuming the technology they use requires an immense amount of power," She mused. "That, or they hold no other option."
[break]
[break]

But, if they held the ability to transverse different realms, one could assume they held the ability to seek easier means to achieve a power source.
[break]
[break]

Maybe they did and maybe that's why these power stations looked to be abandoned.
[break]
[break]

"Maybe primal energy?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes [break]


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

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she hums softly, as if mulling over the councilwoman's thought process.

it makes sense, in a way she's not familiar with. the technology used by the megalopolans is still a rather infuriating unknown to her.

there is one thing, however, that she knows all too well.

"what bothers me is... i doubt they used this technology to open wormholes. ultra beasts should have the ability to open wormholes themselves."

she despises it.

"if we were to use primal energy to power this up, what would happen?"

would they cause something catastrophic? would nothing happen at all?

"actually... there had been an instance where they used a legendary pokemon as a power source as well."

zekrom.

the story Remiel Calcifet had told her of rises quickly, the information laid out for her mind's eye to gorge itself on until it gets sick.

PENELOPE LIVY
into the wilds.

Penelope's eyebrows twitched downward, sending a ripple of wrinkles down her forehead. The more she thought of it, the more it made sense in her head. If the meglopolans were able to use ultra beasts to power up their technology, then wouldn't the League's arsenal of legendary be equipped to provide the same level of power?
[break][break]

"When?"
[break][break]

She hadn't heard of it before -- was it another piece of lore she wasn't acquainted with?

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes[break]


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

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]if the league were to end up utilizing the legendary pokemon in their custody as power sources… she would refuse.

it would make them no better than the megalopolans, than the generals who subjected ultra beasts and legendaries into copious amounts of pain for their own benefit.

but, then again, hasn’t she done something similar with her portal experimentation?

”i believe before the war.”

Remiel Calcifet had not given her a definite timeline. she only knows of the aftermath, of zekrom’s scales and the radiation it still holds within its body.

”there are other power sources, surely.”

ones that do not compromise their already darkening morality.

PENELOPE LIVY
into the wilds.

Other power sources might not be as readily available.
[break][break]


But she bit this thought down, noticing the way Illeana's voice bubbled with distance, and moved back onto the problem that awaited them.
[break][break]

"We can always fall back to HQ for this. If there's another option, we'll be sure to find it."
[break][break]

They held the region's greatest minds, after all.
[break][break]

Walking around the chunks of metal that divided them, Penny leaned forward, balancing off her tippy toes to peer down into the contraption their electrician was fiddling at. Beside him, a porygon and rotom beeped playfully.
[break][break]

"Illeana," she spoke, her voice settled into an even tone, "is there anything you're hoping to find for yourself in this?"
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes[break]


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

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she hums and seems to accept the concept penelope presents well enough. her head bobs into a nod a moment later.

as she observes the work of their electrician, a porygon and a rotom keeping him company, an almost unexpected question rises in the spaces between.

"a way to defeat the threats we face."

it's easy, natural, genuine.

and perhaps, a bit unfitting of her previous actions.

"what are you hoping to find?"

PENELOPE LIVY
into the wilds.

Her answer is one that came with ease.
[Break][break]
"Something to reenforce our strength for not only these threats, but whatever else we face in the future."
[break@][break]
Because, if there was one thing that felt shockingly clear, it was that Hoenn earned itself no short supply of danger. Every shadow held a story to fear.
[break][break]

"I don't know what that might include, but hey, not exactly picky right now."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes [break]


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

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]a small smile creeps onto her features.

there's no time to be picky. each day, new threats rise. will it ever really end?

"well, hopefully we can find something of use here."

she has an inkling they might, but powering it will be a whole different beast to tackle.

her head turns to regard the electrician.

"can you salvage anything for us to take back?"

parts, wiring, schematics... they'll take whatever they can get.

PENELOPE LIVY
into the wilds.

Their electrician offered a gruff nod. There wasn't much he could dissect as a whole, but in pieces, there was plenty to pick and choose from. It'd only take a moment to dig through it all.
[break][break]
During this time, Penelope decided to take a leap of curiosity.
[break][break]
"Why did you become head scientist?"
[break][break]
For a job riddled with anxieties and responsibilities beyond what most would perceive as a healthy work-life balance, there had to be some inkling of passion behind it all. An oil to which loosened her gears.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes[break]


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

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she nods, seemingly satisfied with the electrician's answer.

and as he continues working, penny dips her toes into curiosity. it comes in the form of a question, one she isn't quite certain how to answer anymore.

"originally, i wanted to help people by discovering new things and providing more understanding of the world around them."

a small, rueful smile rises.

"i think that concept got lost somewhere along the way."

just as she had.

"why did you decide to join the council?"

PENELOPE LIVY
into the wilds.

She leaned back against one of the pillars of steel, lips twitched into a wistful smile.
[break][break]

"You know the story."
[break][break]

Her answer came out in the form of a sigh - many times people have asked this question, and many times she answered the same way. The only difference? Whether or not there was a knife pinned to her neck.
[break][break]

"For so long, I spent my career pointing out the mistakes of the league in the hopes that change might prevail. I thought, more than anything else, if the public knew what was going on, then we would stand a better chance of coming up with solutions together. "
[break][break]

A shrug rolled off her shoulders.
[break][break]

"I think it's still possible - change through information, I mean. But I guess I got tired of waiting on the sidelines for it to happen."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes[break]


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

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]a smile rises quickly.

the sentiment is lovely. something to look up to, even. and it's easy to want to have the same kind of reasons under her belt, tucked close in times of turmoil... but she doesn't.

"sometimes you have to be the change you want to see in the world."

her smile widens further.

"for what it's worth, i think the league has already gotten a bit better since you've joined us."

there's more initiatives, more drive behind each moving piece. it encourages all to keep pushing forward, to keep changing for the better.

"are you happy with the work you've done so far?"

she knows, deep down, there's still so much left to do.

PENELOPE LIVY
into the wilds.