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Xenon's head quirks up briefly as she listens out for whatever noise Ameena had heard, before shaking her head and returning her focus to her own numbers she was running. "Nothing important to us for the moment. Infinity Energy readings are up compared to the outside world, might just be the influx of people coming in to study the new environ, only time will tell." She mutters as she types something into a wrist mounted computer.
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"Well, I think that the future lies in competing and contrasting perspectives from my own. You're studying Interdream related matters right? My field is pretty close to that, working on the Ultramodern Paradoxes and the artificial production of them. One could say our fields of studies are almost one and the same with how intertwined the two matters seem to be here." Her attention drifts towards her Iron Swords as they graze the grass around their little research base. "Tell me though, what drew you to pooling your research with Rocket? Aside from my little branch of Interdream and Tera Crystal study, I don't think people have been conducting too much research into dreams and the like. It's only within the past month or so that interest in the field exploded when they discovered this place."
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NOTES

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She considered Xenon's observations. "I have heard paradox pokemon have a connection to interdream mist, which I have yet to experience myself. I do find the paradoxes to be interesting. Many of the scientists I have met lately have had a handful of them at their disposal." She wasn't so childish as to experience FOMO, but she couldn't help but wonder if they were a massive advantage.[break][break]

She put down her seismic sensor and let the rod get situated into the ground before beeping softly, sending out waves. "I was invited to Rocket by Lulu Flint, who has a similar body of work. The promise of resources and like-minds for dream research was, well, a dream come true." She considered that many researched her area of interest; while many under-grads did like it, most did not pursue it for long. Some thought it was pointless. Well, many areas of science were deemed pointless until a major discovery. [break][break]

"I am hoping the presence of this area will expedite my own research. If more minds turn to dream research because of the tera and interdream activity, it is all the better." She sounded quite happy about it as she checked her seismic sensor. She did not feel competitive about dream science. All hands on deck, she figured. She wanted to truly access the dream realm within her lifetime.

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"If you're truly interested in experiencing the Interdream Mist yourself, I'd say to take a trip down to Dewford. If you can get past League defenses and into the Ultra Deep Sea, there's a lot of naturally occurring Interdream Mist there." Xenon pauses as she considers the proposal further. "Consider your own mental fortitude beforehand though. Lots of people experience severe hallucinations in that particular area, I've heard some are even driven mad by the experience." Interdream study was not a field for those of weak will, probing the depths of the human psyche and the dream realm carried great mental risk.
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It was part of the reason why so many undergrads quit the subject and moved onto something else, it was considered very high risk for very little reward the further you pushed the field. But that was a short sighted view of the subject in her own opinion. Nothing was more important than a strong dream in this world, for those with strong dreams had the clearest views of the future.
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Not too long after Ameena pushed her seismic sensor into the ground would she find some odd readings coming up, activity swiftly picking up as underground tremors began to rapidly increase in frequency. Xenon frowns as she looks down at her feet thoughtfully, she couldn't feel the tremors herself, but they were certainly there. Low intensity, very high frequency. "Tell me, how good do you think you are at battling?" Sulfur's head picks up as it turns to the north, it's Quark Drive humming quietly as it widens its stance slightly and lets out a soft electronic grunt.
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NOTES

✦ ameena abadi

Dewford. She made a note of it. It would be worth a visit. She wanted to see more of the naturally (perhaps, supernaturally) occurring dream mist. [break][break]

"I am well-versed in keeping myself in check when surrounded with contradictory or impossible situations. The... RKS simulations have made ample training grounds." She used to try many hallucinogenic concoctions to see what could bring her closer to the dream realm in unusual ways, but she had not made a breakthrough just yet. Still, she was undeterred. She would access the separate realm of dreams one way or another. [break][break]

She stepped away from the sensor and let it do its work. The chasm was a little enchanting when one just stood and looked around, with the glowing tera crystals creating a pleasant ambiance. But she moved her attention away from the scenery and back to her partner at the question. "Fighting as a person and not a trainer is easy. I served in the military like everyone else in my family. As a trainer? I rarely indulge. Still, my pokemon are rather autonomous. Edith, in particular, has a sadistic streak that keeps her fighting spirit honed. I suppose I let them succumb to instinct rather than direct them, for the most part." [break][break]

There was value in strategy, but hers had been to observe the enemy or take them out herself while her pokemon distracted them. "How are you, in battle?"

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"That's good. The Ultra Deep Sea is a good study ground, but a will of iron is needed to make sure you aren't lost to its fathoms. But what you'll find... well, I can speak for myself when I say it was lifechanging." It was only in the depths of the ocean that she was able to find the first steps to the future after all.
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Hm, she hadn't noticed yet. That's fine, she'd notice soon enough probably. "I can handle myself as a person. The way I fight is different compared to most," She adjusts her prosthetic arm unconsciously, the cool metal of her shoulder clinging against the pommel of the sword on her back. "But it's good to keep people guessing. As a trainer though, I would consider myself the best of the best." As she says this she smiles confidently, letting her natural hand fall upon the Pokeballs on her belt. "If I had decided to be just another trainer then there's no doubt I'd be Elite Four Material. I can go toe to toe with Legendaries and the best the League has to offer without breaking a sweat, I focus on coordinating with multiple Pokemon on the field at once." She motions with her head towards the Iron Swords she had captured, having them all out at once was a very purposeful choice on her part.
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The intensity of the vibrations was picking up now, something was approaching. Multiple somethings. Xenon walks up next to Sulfur and looks out in the direction that its looking, a dust cloud was picking up as a crowd of somethings was charging in their direction. "You might want to bring out your best. I think our little study has garnered attention."
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NOTES

✦ ameena abadi

Something about the other scientist made it easy for Ameena to take her words at face value. She could believe Xenon's claims; her confidence was easy and natural, but not flashy. "What legendaries have you faced? Or is that a turn of phrase?" Normally, she would assume the latter, but everywhere she turned, someone seemed to have a close encounter with a deity. "I look forward to seeing how your approach works," she acknowledged as tremors grew and a stampede came their way. She was also eager to see the paradox pokemon of hers in action. She knew they could behave strangely, but Xenon seemed to have things under complete control.[break][break]

She sent out all of her pokemon. Edith dove in head-first, picking off the first of the strange pokemon coming towards them. She initiated combat with a walking wake, though it blew her away with something concussive. Munna hung in the air and continued to use yawn on the crowd. Sleeping pokemon were her best victims. Honedge stayed close to her, defensively, and Rookidee used status moves on anything near the Espathra. [break][break]

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What legendaries had she faced? Good question, she kind of lost track after the third. "Uh, ones worth remembering right now? Probably Kyogre, Chien-Pao, annnnnnnd... I think I fought an Articuno? But it was also like, not Articuno at the same time. I couldn't really say what it was, not my field of study, I dislike legends and history." Even talking about recent history like that left a bad taste in her mouth, made her rather glad that a swarm of agitated Paradox Pokemon was arriving to change the subject.
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The Iron Swords were quick to form up as the first wave of wild Pokemon crashes into their vanguard, coordinated Sacred Swords cut down an Iron Jugulis and the Brute Bonnets following in its wake, while the Gengar in her shadow rips out to fire a Thunderbolt at an Iron Bundle that was slipped past the guard and was approaching the duo from the left. This is just a basic opening though, Xenon hasn't even spoken a word. Instead she calmly observes the flow of battle, picking apart the wild Pokemons' movement before issuing any adjustments to her tactics. "Sulfur, two o'clock adjustment. Earthquake. Phosphorus, adjust to eleven o'clock and angle upwards. Metal Burst." Her assessment is calm and methodical, there's no panic or anxiety in her cadence as she orchestrates a defense without breaking a sweat. The only hitches in this battle were the fact that she didn't know the types of every single Paradox Pokemon approaching them, but she could adjust for unexpected interactions thanks to Ameena's Pokemon picking up the slack.
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All the while their sensor was picking up data deep underground, something stirring in the depths of Area Zero that was driving these Pokemon to the surface...
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NOTES

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Ameena was rendered speechless at the casual tone and flippant nature of Xenon's recollection of legendaries. She wasn't sure if she was feeling like she'd missed out on so many opportunities during her bout of studying in Alola or if she was glad she hadn't had to defend herself against so many deities. "Hoenn is beyond bizarre," Ameena said mostly to herself. In Galar, gods were just legends. In Hoenn, you could fight multiple in one lifetime. [break][break]

She shook her head and got back on track. Xenon's iron sword pokemon took point, but Ameena's own continued to manage some crowd control while picking a few off. The stampeding pokemon were scared or feral or something else entirely, but it was difficult to judge their behaviors when there were so many. The chasm was shaking constantly under the weight of the battle, and the noises echoing and expanding through the chasm felt like an iron barb being stabbed into her temple. [break][break]

"The sensor will stay put with how it stands. We can get out of here." There was no way they could enter the chasm further with such a riot of pokemon. "Edith, close it off." The Espathra used lumina crash on a giant stalactite, causing it to rock loose from the ceiling and descend down on the handful of remaining raging pokemon. Ameena turned to leave, concerned about what she's learned. Was she ready to face a deity?

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"It's the frontier of the new world in many ways, its only here where the impossible can become possible." Hoenn was a strange land to be sure, but it was the birthplace of possibilities all the same. Nowhere else in the world could one find the opportunity to change the world, only here could one find the key to taking hold of their future.
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They finish the remainder of the horde without too much trouble, a few dropping stalagmites and a coordinated Sacred Sword assault later and all was said and done. "If you find yourself going to the Ultra Deep Sea, feel free to give me a call. I have my own interest in the Interdream for my own reasons, but I'm happy to help support your projects while I go about it." It was always good to build up your own base of power within Rocket too, but that doesn't need to be said out loud. For now they were just two "friends" working on related projects. That's all.
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NOTES

✦ ameena abadi