they’d planned it that day in Tempest Quinn and Cillian Quinn ’s home. he would be her first partner in the simulation, a continuation of strange work-related family bonding experiences bordering on the hallucinatory.[break][break]

yet again, they’d find themselves thrown far back in time, neither strangers to such a sensation—though they’d never time travelled together, presumably.[break][break]

the desert was scarcely familiar. she had only been to it once or twice before in their present day. she studied the architecture in progress and deduced that perhaps, incredibly, here was an opportunity to peer into the mysteries of hoenn’s ancient tomb—the site of the last great phenomenon in the region’s time warping episodes. at least, that was her guess.[break][break]

the answers they sought did not disappoint.[break][break]

once the wishing star laid before them, she smiled at their luck, or fate. were they somewhere near the same stretch of time as calyrex’s galar?

”that’s what was in the ancient tomb, isn’t it?” she watched as the wishing star pulsed. ”it looks alive…”[break][break]

putting faith in the machine, she reached out to touch it, only briefly eyeing over at temp as though to gauge his opinion.[break][break]

touching the chunk

[attr="class","ooc"]Tempest Quinn [break]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"]

her hesitation was short-lasted. she touched her hand to the wishing star and the vision swirled to life.[break][break]

eternatus was monstrous, but she knew that much already. it was still something to see at such a scale, or to even see it at all.

”the skeleton.” the name made sense now.[break][break]

the sight of deoxys was much more familiar. it reminded her of Killian Decker, and several bad days. [break][break]

”i wonder what their relationship is…” before she could question it any further, however, the vision faded, and they were in the tomb once more. she could feel the wishing star pulse beneath her hand, sending uncomfortable ripples in reality.[break][break]

unsettled, she took her hand away. ”how is it still alive?” the wishing star, seemingly teeming with energy despite falling from its source.[break][break]

before any real answers could be obtained, of course, the simulation was shifting. [break][break]

scenario shifting

[attr="class","ooc"]Tempest Quinn [break]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"]

”that’s brilliant.” she was stunned, but the scenario shifted before she could admire the moment further.[break][break]

her face fell when they were then faced with the glare of declan walsh  . for years, she’d been at the end of his leash out of necessity. after months of slack, she was reminded of what it felt like to be free in some sense.[break][break]

oscar clayton was gone now. the creature known as declan walsh still had her brothers. he had darkrai's favor. he had secrets that she was tired of wondering or worrying about, and it was suddenly an easy decision that did not require Cillian Quinn ’s support.[break][break]

she despised whoever, whatever this man was. it was there in her eyes, if Tempest Quinn looked.[break][break]

”lock-on.”[break][break]

her porygon-z attempted to focus on one of the many copies, download assessing its target as they dodged a lunging gliscor.[break][break]

attacking walsh

[attr="class","ooc"]Tempest Quinn [break]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"]

it was a simulation. it meant nothing. they were just clearing digital obstacles the rocket way. yet, it felt in her heart like treason. like throwing off shackles, if only to feel so weightless for a few moments.[break][break]

”tri-attack!”[break][break]

beams of fire, ice, and electricity glowed and then exploded fantastically against the invisible walls, smoking around the dark crystal that began to cover everything in pursuit of the mystery that was declan walsh.[break][break]

”seems like he really wants a battle. alright then.”[break][break]

she reached for another pokeball to release her genesect. its ruby eyes focused, analyzing the chaos. lulu pointed at the incoming hypno. ”your target’s there.”[break][break]

a quick techno blast was plenty to stop the pokemon in its tracks, at least temporarily.

attacking walsh

[attr="class","ooc"]Tempest Quinn [break]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"][attr="class","pkspr pkmn-genesect"]

it wasn’t real, but it felt like something. cathartic, and surprising.[break][break]

”on it!” she gestured to the incoming hypno again as it charged, this time its fist balled for a pound. porygon-z’s discharge was enough to paralyze the psychic-type short of landing its hit.[break][break]

meanwhile, magnet rise lifted genesect from the debris on the gym floor. as the earth shook and jutted upward, lulu grabbed onto its sides, hanging on with fierce determination.[break][break]

”find the real one.”[break][break]

glowing red eyes analyzed each clone, and lulu watched carefully as well, until she thought she saw a clue in a shadow. perhaps mere intuition. ”there.”[break][break]

genesect levitated lower, and walsh’s gliscor dove for it. a night slash knocked the scientist and her robot through the air, her grip slipping from its chrome.[break][break]

it was a good fall. when she hit the ground, her vision blurred and glitched. she could feel it all and winced at the pain. broken bones, most likely.[break][break]

what started out as a growl then ripped from her throat in some cry of pain and war. turning onto her side, a gun was torn from her hip and pointed directly at the boss. before the trigger could be pulled, however, he was suddenly gone in a plume of shadow.[break][break]

she stared up at the space he left behind, feeling robbed.

walsh disappears

[attr="class","ooc"]Tempest Quinn [break]
[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-porygon-z"][attr="class","pkspr pkmn-genesect"]