It was too hot. Still.

The last time the four had assembled, Amor's three aides had all been rank and file. Since then, Howard Slayte and Tempest Quinn had become Admin Fox and Beast Quinn, ascending to a loftier place in Team Rocket's banquet. Much had happened, much had changed, and Nebula had received two new assets: Deoxys and Regice.

Hopefully Amor would forgive Howard for finding the wrong Regi.

"Of course, Head Scientist." Howard nodded as they trudged towards the site. Howard longed to pull Regice out of its Pokeball and use its chill to make this hike bearable, but the League had many eyes, and a large golem appearing on Mt. Chimney wasn't the wisest option.

"What can I say? I was just doing a geological survey on the structural stability of the volcano. Perfectly standard. The League had no issues when I returned the results of my survey to Fallarbor and Lavaridge."

Instead of Regice, Howard lent a swarm of Sigilyth to survey the area, ensuring no League members or civilians would enter the area. It'd be unfortunate if someone stumbled across an illegally built piece of technology. Three Sigilyth for the entire volcano wasn't ideal, but it was Howard's contribution.

"How long to complete the assembly?"

---

Amor Rose Makoto Kurumi Tempest Quinn

Makoto was quiet, as they watched everyone hard at work. Between howard slayte and Tempest Quinn, the slopes were well monitored - and Erebus, under Amor Rose's direction, had the machine assembly under control.

What they contributed, was stealth. Tsume, Kuro, and the newest addition Shiro - as they were sent out - all provided Illusions to obscure the group's presence here; especially from the possibility of someone approaching by wing rather than foot. In addition to this, Obake - shifted into Tsume - would add its assistance.

As far as even the occasional wild pokemon flying above might care, this was just as much a normal empty mountainside as any other part of Mt. Chimney.

One could never be too careful.

They wished they could send Tsukiko out - to let her Snow Warning cool the area down. But the fox would surely be miserable hanging around long-term in the heat, and her snow would make it all the harder to obscure the area. Instead, she remained in her ball - on standby in the event that a fight were to break out.

Onji, on the other hand, would be present - the Delphox watching Erebus with a sense of fascination. Though he had initially offered his Telekinesis for the endeavor of assembling the machine, it appeared that the mysterious Deoxys had this more than handled. So, he settled for studying the Legendary from afar.

(Makoto was frankly unnerved by Erebus; though they couldn't wholly explain why, besides a sense of 'other'-ness.)

As Amor spoke, Makoto would glance to his direction - and they responded with a gentle nod. "What... do you think is going to happen?" They had a gist of what he intended to do, once the machine was assembled...

... But the potential results were a whole other question.

Amor Rose Tempest Quinn howard slayte

Capable....Was the first word Amor thought of when he saw what they were doing, and how they were guarding this area. A very capable team....When he had first joined Rocket after his scuffle with Melody Miro he had his sights set wholeheartedly on revenge. Albeit he still intended to pay her back for what she had done to him, but that was all he cared about everything else was just a means to an end. Then oscar clayton had given him a way to do that, but he never thought he would be at this point. With a team as capable as these three.

It had been a long road to get here, or had it been a short one? His sense of time wasn't the most reliable most times.

"Ten minutes to assembly give or take." He expressed to howard slayte, and just chuckled at Tempest Quinn's slap on his back. "I'll leave it to you, and Makoto Kurumi then." He expressed as he made sure each of the computers were properly booting up despite the heat. With Temp's Dog's being able to sniff out intruders, and Makoto's foxes creating a wide spread illusion to cloak them even further, and Howards birds circling overhead. To say that this was one of the smoothest operations he had been apart of was an understatement.

"To be honest I don't know what is going to happen....I've run simulations, I am prepared for many eventualities, but I am still just a man at the end of the day. The best case scenario is that we get a portal, or something similar. Maybe something will just appear....The worst case scenario is that the machine simply explodes, and I have to build a new one." He explained with a smile, and a shrug. It wasn't the first time he had start from scratch.

"I chose this place as a testing ground due to something Tempest Quinn said to me once. To try my machine in a more volatile, and weak place. This is the site of where two Leaguers went through a rift, and retrieved Groudon." He explained to them all. "If there is any reaction here....I would like to go to one of the actual open rifts, and test it there." Despite his desire to obtain what was on the other end, even he didn't want to actually cause irreversible damage to the world at large.

Makoto Kurumi, Tempest Quinn, howard slayte

"Ten minutes?"

It took his computer longer to boot up than it did for Amor to assemble his machine. The blow to Howard's pride was physical, striking at his very soul. Instead of spiraling into a crisis, Howard simply blinked once, scratched his chin, and nodded.

"Impressive."

He hoped this was worth it. This machine was likely difficult to build, dangerous to lose to the League, and very, very expensive. Amor could foot the bill on this particular piece of experimental tech, but Rocket's coffers weren't unlimited. If this thing blew up, it'd be the loss of an asset and a loss of money.

In general, this operation was a risk. Howard hoped that Temp found nobody, because if the League knew that a Beast, Admin, and Head Scientist were huddling near a volcano and decided to swoop down on them, it'd be a massive detriment on Rocket.

"No matter what happens," Howard told Makoto, "we will adapt and overcome. You all will, at least. I'll simply watch."

And run away, if need be.

"And left Regidrago behind?" He asked Amor. A sharp deduction, given the man's fascination with the golem. He hoped that they would be able to reclaim the automaton. Regice was a good start, but if the Regis were designated for Hoenn's defense, then Regidrago being an entire world away wasn't good for them.

Land Hoenn had this Hoenn's golem. It was about time that they gave it back.

---

Amor Rose Tempest Quinn Makoto Kurumi

To hear that Amor didn't have much of a clue what may happen was... Not the most comforting, to be honest. But at the very least, it wasn't as though this was the craziest thing that the scientist had tried to do - considering that he had at one point wanted to try and get the attention of Dialga by starting a ruckus in a spacetime distortion.

Still, Makoto couldn't help but sigh - already trying to mentally prepare themself for the potential of some crazy shit. They were glad that they had Tsukiko and Obake with them, given the former's strength and the latter's mimicry.

Howard's words had a much similar effect. That they'd adapt and overcome was a possibility, this certainly wasn't the first time they'd have to do such. But Howard would just watch? That wasn't really reassuring, if things decided to get out of hand.

Wanting to be polite though, they'd just nod to Amor and Howard both, responding "Let's hope for the best, then." as they kept their more skeptical and unsure thoughts to themself.

If this did open a rift though, and this rift did indeed lead to wherever those two Leaguers got Groudon from... Would Regidrago still be present, on the other side? And would it come with them without fuss?

They weren't sure how much the Regis regarded one another - it wasn't something that had really come up between them and Howard - but if there was more past that unemotive statuesque exterior... Would there be kinship, rivalry, or indifference? It seemed like something that varied, between the Legends that Makoto did know of.

Amor Rose Tempest Quinn howard slayte

Erebus finished constructing the pieces of his machine with a precision that was inhuman. Amor gave it one final check to make sure nothing else was amiss, and he gave the Deoxys a pat on the shoulder. Draco would erupt from the confines of his Pokeball, as an extra layer of defense. Amor truly had no idea as to what would happen, but he had three capable people here with him at this point. Even if howard slayte wasn't the strongest battler, he was still a powerful support with his pokemon. Tempest Quinn, and Makoto Kurumi were both powerful in their own rights.

Between the four of them if something did happen they would be able to tackle it, or so he hoped. There was hesitation, some nervousness on his part. Part of him wondered what would bother him more, failure or just not trying....

"Be prepared for anything." He gave the order to the three, and he stepped towards the machine. At it's heart where a Primal Shard would normally sit, he would place a Dragon Tera Crystal, and power the machine. Power began to thrum through it, and the four coils would begin to channel the power to a center focal point in midair. So far everything was working, but how long would it stay that way.

This was a stopgap measure at best, he had witnessed the way that Tera Crystals bent reality to their way, and amplified the powers of those around them. So he was hoping that perhaps his luck would work out just this once, and his desire to reclaim his lost titan, if it was even still alive would pay off. It was the real reason he had chosen this location, he remembered when he saw it for the first time, the raw power it exuded when it stood against Groudon. Berserk as it was, he remembered it clear as day, and he recalled the roar he had heard from that day as well, before both of them vanished.

It had been his first large scale battle....And it was seared into his memory just as clearly as the day it had happened.

TLDR
Amor is powering up his machine with the Dragon Tera Crystal now!
Amor is reminiscing about his first raid in Desolate Land, and the things he witnessed!
HERE'S TO HOPING!

Makoto Kurumi, howard slayte, Tempest Quinn

WHEN SUPERNOVAS DIE PT. 2

MAKOTO X HOWARD X TEMP X AMOR

THE DRAGON TERA CRYSTAL IS SLOTTED INTO THE MACHINE. Though Amor Rose may dream of traveling to other worlds, travel to other dimensions has been made complicated.

After all, behind the scenes illeana reyes and her PALKIA face the crumbling of spatial scaffolds—and on a grander scale, this universe among others has continued to stretch since the 99943 METENO.

Instead, the TERA CRYSTAL activates with crescendoing glow. Replicating this action would prove to be impossible—but the combined presence of TEAM NEBULA and their intermingling fates allow for this one-time result: the summoning of a new threat that materializes in a glittery flash.

It is not REGIDRAGO.

Just its arms.

The dragon head and jaw is disembodied, lacking no purple-magenta core to latch onto. They seek the nearest team member with snapping jaws.

By the end, these disembodied arms will fade in glimmering bokeh.

Amor Rose Makoto Kurumi Tempest Quinn howard slayte

Immediately, things went awry. Maybe it would've helped if more than one person who had actually seen Land Hoenn was here. Howard had never visited, but he understood what it represented. Was that really enough to bridge the gap between dimensions? Amor was carrying this bond on his own, his connection to a Pokémon and world that had long since vanished.

Yet there was another. Howard's eye closed as he felt his chest twinge. Within Meteor Falls, he had found a Regi Effigy, presumably connected to Regidrago. They had no bond. Howard had never even met the golem, and still...

Regice had. Their connection was strong. Call it 'friendship', a 'bond', or something equally nonsensical, but there was a strong connection between Hoenn's five guardian giants. A bond so strong that it could transcend the broken tapestry of dimensions.

"Head Scientist! Is it supposed to be... sparking like that?" Howard asked as he stood behind the scientist. He peered at the portal and frowned as something impossible manifested. "What the...?"

The jaws stood in front of the machine, motionless. Regice's Pokeball shook sporadically, before erupting open. As soon as it did, Howard knew that something was wrong.

"Amor!" Howard instinctively lunged back as the Regidrago Remnant snatched up the Head Scientist in its jaws. Maybe he had wanted to embrace the construct, maybe he was awestruck. Howard didn't know. All he did know was that this was spiraling quickly as he got up to his feet. "Makoto! Help!"

Immediately, Regice's pattern went red as it detected an otherworldly threat. It began to muster up a Blizzard.

---

Amor Rose Makoto Kurumi Tempest Quinn

The machine hums to life - and as it does, Makoto can only watch and hope. Hope that it didn't result in some spontaneous explosion, or them being shunted into someplace they weren't supposed to be, or the like.

But as the Tera Crystal begins to shine brilliantly, Makoto almost has to shield their eyes - but they are able to see the first signs of something beginning to emerge, to manifest.

Namely, that of Regidrago's arms.

At first, with it looking - for all intents and purposes - inert, Makoto can't help but blink. Was this Regidrago? There was no body - and it did not resemble Regice or that statue that they had spied in the Draconid Shrine from the month prior. If this was, it appeared to be missing its body...

... But then, Regice emerged - and as it did, the arms

moved.

Jaws went to seize Amor - and alarm broke out amongst Team Nebula as a result. Tsume snarled, the Zoroark stepping closer to Makoto protectively - and Howard's voice rung out. Regice was going on the offense, clearly preparing some form of attack. Onji, meanwhile, reaches out to sieze the jaws with Telekinesis to try and force them away from the Head Scientist...

Makoto, snapped to action by Howard's call, would immediately reach for their belt - and in doing so, sends out Tsukiko.

The Alolan Ninetales' presence immediately brings on a Snow Warning - cooling the surrounding area, and creating a haze of fog around them. But, it empowers Regice's Blizzard - and the pale fox is quick to join in with a Springtide Storm, to protect Amor!

Amor Rose Tempest Quinn howard slayte

What was going to happen....Amor didn't know, but he watched, and waited with bated breath. Then it appeared, and for a moment there was something that left his body. All the tension, all the worry, everything that he had been dreading just left him, and he just marveled at their accomplishment. However that would prove to be his undoing, the feeling of elation, the tension leaving his muscles left him paralyzed for a moment, and that is when he noticed that it was wrong. He was to slow to react, his body wouldn't listen to him, and he felt the jaws of his dream wrap around him, and start to squeeze the life out of him. If he had been alone, this would have been the end, but he wasn't alone, not this time.

Howard, Temp, and Makoto were quick to act to come to his aid.

Capable....

That word echoed through his mind again as he felt the disembodied arms squeeze on him tighter, and he groaned in pain. It was nothing, he could take it. A powerful Blizzard powered up by a Snowscape came to his aid, and smashed into the jawlike arms that were trying to rip into him. A momentary distraction that was taken advantage of by Telekinesis which pried the jaws away from him long enough for him to slip through it's grip, and fall unceremoniously to the ground.

That is when the Springtide Storm washes over to the Remnant, and Amor stands up wobbly.

"Draco, Erebus!" The two Pokemon leapt into action with no further orders given, a frigid power overcame both of Draco's fists as it flew at full speed to the thing that had attacked his master, and a powerful Ice Punch was landed on the arms. Flying out of the way Erebus extended both of his arms, and twin beams of Ice Beam shot forth in an attempt to freeze the creature where it stood.

With all the icy attacks sent towards it, the frost had started to build up, but it wasn't enough. The coreless Regidrago snapped it's jaws shut defiantly, and soon it started to make it's way towards them again, a purple glow covering it's surface as it Giga Impacted towards the Ice Golem that belonged to howard slayte.

TLDR
Due to everyone's combined efforts Amor is not nommed!
Dragonite uses Ice Punch!
Deoxys uses Ice Beam!
Regidrago uses Giga Impact on Regice!
I figure we can do one more round before we beat it!

Makoto Kurumi howard slayte Tempest Quinn

This sucked. Everything sucked.

Knowing Amor, he'd probably be giddy once this was all over. They 'had' summoned Regidrago, but he suspected that the genuine article was still somewhere far away. Tera Crystals were strong, but to Howard's knowledge they couldn't rip open holes in reality. Whatever was going on was completely out of Nebula's control.

Regice was still churning up its Blizzard when the jaws decided that the Kalosian they had ensnared didn't taste particularly good. Instead, the Regidrago Remnant decided to lunge for the more complete Regice that stood mere meters away.

Its jaws cracked down on the golem and caused a latticework of cracks to spread from the crushing jaws. Where ice parted, Dynergy leaked out. The admin's breath immediately began to grow heavy as he partook in Eternatus's might.

"Erebus... Deoxys...?" The admin grunted as it appeared. With two Legendary Pokémon, this fight would end soon. Nonetheless, these jaws intended to do as much damage as possible for they disappeared into ephemeral mist. "Regice, fight back!"

The golem already was, forcing the jaws back with brute strength, Superpower. The jaws creaked angrily as Regice pushed them back with sheer unstoppable force.

In the meantime, the admin retreated from Regice, coughing into his shirt.

---

Tempest Quinn Makoto Kurumi Amor Rose
Using Superpower to hold back the jaws from crushing Regice.
Regice is leaking Dynergy
Howard is high af on that shit

Good news, they were able to get Amor out of the Regidrago's jaws. Makoto and Onji are quick to come to the Head Scientist's side - helping to steady him, and looking over any possible wounds.

Bad news, the remnant Regidrago had turned its focus to attacking Regice.

However, even as the construct cracked and began to leak Dynergy, Makoto wouldn't leave it solo. They pulled out their Tera Orb, to terastallize the fox to pure Ice-type, so that she may let loose a howling Blizzard of her own at the draconic jaws..!

Amor Rose Tempest Quinn howard slayte