The RKS Simulation was... strange. Makoto knew that it existed for some time, in fact having been part of the massive battle that had led to them retrieving the Seal Stone that this whole thing was built around. But they hadn't given it much thought, until now - because surely, there could be knowledge here that Amor Rose and the others might take interest in - assuming they haven't already plumbed the depths of this whole thing - right...?

Either way, the ruins that they find themself in are... Fascinating. At either side, the glow of Tsukiko's Illumina markings and Onji's flames illuminate the way forward - showing a number of runes that resemble Unown. Though they know some about the ruins - both as a result of their Johto days and as a result of talks with howard slayte - it's another thing to be in such a lifelike recreation of them...

Briefly, Makoto casts a glance to ameena abadi - the Rocket that they were joining for this excursion - and they open their mouth as if to ask her a question. "What do you--"

-- But then, comes a chorus of strange sounds muffled from within one's pockets and/or bags! The thief jumps a bit - and they are quick to pull out their phone, which seems to be but one of the sources of these sounds. Discordant, strange, unintelligible - it all sense a shiver down their spine... "What in the world..?"

Tsukiko and Onji both appear similarly unnerved - both foxes glancing around carefully.

Ahead, the darkness seems a little thicker than before. A little more unnerving - and yet... As Makoto glances up from their phone to gaze ahead, they... Find a part of them being drawn in. "... Should... Should we keep going...?" They find themself suggesting, not completely by conscious choice.

They can't tear their eyes away from that dark.

ameena abadi

Step by step, Makoto entered the dark.

Step

by

step.

Logically, Tsukiko's illumina state and Onji's flames should have been able to illuminate this. But as Makoto gazed ahead, the darkness did not recede. Rather, it almost seemed to take them in - to envelop everything. To fill every bit of Makoto's senses.

Sight

Sound

Touch

Ameena did not exist. Their pokemon did not exist. The simulation did not exist. Hoenn did not exist. There was only the sheer, black, dark that surrounded them...

... And then, there were lights. First one, then two, then a hundred - a number of eyes that stared at Makoto from the dark. In this moment, they were broken from their trance, gazing around to try and make sense of it all--

-- Before suddenly, they were ejected back into reality (or well, the simulation's semblance of 'reality',) as they found themself walking into a wall. Makoto stumbles, staggering to a knee - a hairline crack in one of the lens of their glasses prompting them to curse to themself. Stupid, stupid, now they'd have to get it fixed - (though then again, given this was a simulation, perhaps their glasses would be fine when they got out of here?)

But before they even had much of a chance to fully regain their bearings, things were happening. Unown from the walls, voices within their mind-! Makoto's gaze casts around until they find Ameena - and they have but one suggestion, as Onji and Tsukiko help them to their feet. "Let's... Let's get out of here," Makoto breathed - keen to leave before either of them are dragged into some other mind fuckery.

50 RKS Points so far

ameena abadi

Together, the two Rockets are quick to depart - and as they do, the scene around them changes.

Makoto blinks a bit - somewhat disoriented as the ruins are suddenly shifting to that of a large room of toys. They glance about - as if expecting to find the way that either of them came... But looking behind them, there is no visible doorway. In fact, there are no doors at all in this saccharine room, only plushies, toys...

... And a plaque, that speaks of a hidden Ditto.

The obvious solution would be to just start hitting things, which would most certainly flush out the Ditto eventually, but... "... Do you think our psychic-types could find it?" They wondered out loud, hand drifting to their belt.

Switching out Tsukiko, they'd replace her with the as-of-yet-unnamed Iron Leaves that they had caught, during the Kyurem fighting. The cervine machine stares down at Makoto with unblinking LED lights - and for the briefest moment, they can almost feel as it reads over their surface thoughts...

... Before its telepathic presence withdraws, and it instead turns its attention to the surrounding area.

Makoto exhales with a hint of relief. They had almost expected the Paradox to be a lot more ornery - but this one... Seems actually cooperative. Almost as if catching it had reprogrammed it in some way. "Paradox pokemon are such a mixed bag, sometimes..." They breathe.

50 RKS Points so far

ameena abadi

"I... have a couple more with me - a Flutter Mane and a Brute Bonnet, as the others call them." Makoto spoke- briefly glancing to their belt. "The Flutter Mane - Nukekubi - is prone to doing her own thing, and tends to have a bit of a cruel streak compared to my other Paradoxes. Shiitake is kinda lazy on the other hand - but it at least listens when it feels like doing things."

Glancing to their Iron Leaves off in the distance though, they muse "But the Iron Leaves - who I'm considering naming Midori - seems a lot more flat, but cooperative... And... maybe a little inquisitive?" They're not 100% sure of it - but that brush against their mind they had felt of it must have been something, right?

In any case, it seemed that the psychic pokemon had found a Ditto - and as Makoto approached to look the shapeshifter over... The ditto proceeded to speak.

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It was clear to see by Makoto's expression, was only the single thought of 'What the fuck?'.

(Onji, at their side, seemed to share those same sentiments.)

Before they can really address or properly express their bewilderment though, a door had appeared in their periphary- catching Makoto's attention. It seemed that they were now able to leave...

100 RKS Points so far

ameena abadi

"I'm not wholly sure," Makoto answered the question honestly - given that this was their first time through these simulations too, they didn't exactly have any other frames of reference. If there had been genuine concerns though, Makoto would have figured that they'd come up more regarding these simulations, right...?

At the very least, as the two exit through the door... Makoto is greeted by the sound of howling wind, that whips their hair about. They notice that they're atop a tower that seems to be just shy of touching the heavens - and that neither of them are alone. There were two hooded figures - and the Legends at their sides, Reshiram and Zekrom, are readied to clash..!

Were the option there, they would have left these two to their fight. They did not feel it was really their place to fight against gods. But there was no clear safe route down from the tower's apex, no matter how they looked.

Of the two though... Makoto finds their eyes drifting towards Zekrom, and the younger brother. Ideals... "... What would a world of ideals look like..?" They found themself murmuring out loud, before they could stop themself.

100 RKS Points so far

ameena abadi