All tasks fall to the wayside whenever Lulu comes calling. Oscar would not dare miss a new development from his closest scientific ally, and so he dropped everything to meet up with her. As he entered the lab, Oscar would provide a vibrant wave before abruptly pausing. The machine that stood behind Lulu was what first caught his eye, it was a startling creation lined with tera crystals. The sight was nearly overwhelming, and Oscar's joy managed to choke him up.

"You--you're using the tera crystals?" He pressed a hand to his chest as he fought back giggles of jubilation. "And here I thought you were reluctant. Oh Lulu, this warms the fuck out of my heart." It was like being presented with a beautiful gift, a surprise of immeasurable value. Oscar had assumed that he would be alone in his tera crystal research, as Lulu's fear of the material seemed to outweigh her fascination. This device was a wonderful sentiment, even if it was not intended to be so.

Oscar stepped forward, wiping his eyes with one of his gloved hands. "I am so glad I cleared my schedule for this. What is it?"

Lulu Flint

Oscar was startled by the popping cork, flinching as it flew across the room. As Lulu handed him a brimming glass, Oscar would eye it quizzically. He did not know what exactly they were celebrating, but whatever put a smile on Lulu's face made him happy too. Oscar accepted the glass. His face shifted into a smile, and he gladly tapped Lulu's glass as she lifted it. "Fuck yeah, cheers."

He took a small sip before turning his attention back to the machine. His enthusiasm began to steadily build, fueled by his curiosity at what Lulu had meant. He had not given the paradox pokemon much thought, which in retrospect was foolish. They were as mysterious as any legendary pokemon or natural energy--and if Lulu had the key to their secrets Oscar was more than happy to take a peek.

"Now tell me everything. Spare not a single detail, what do you have planned for us tonight?"

Lulu Flint

Oscar grew more and more excited with every detail Lulu revealed. To walk through the simulation of a dream? This was the kind of beautiful sci-fi nonsense that Oscar strove to make into a reality! The fact that Lulu has pulled off such a feat filled Oscar with a sense of admiration, she truly was a wonder.

Oscar held in his glee long enough to answer Lulu's question. "They are an absolute mystery to me. I've heard theories that the dream mist invented them itself, cobbling together hypothetical versions of existing pokemon. If that is true, dream mist is one of the most powerful forces within our world. I recently had the privilege to take a look inside the arm of a--what do they call it--ah, Iron Valiant! The mechanisms inside were completely alien, yet I was able to discern how it fit together and functioned."

Oscar raised a hand to his chin, rubbing it profusely as he became increasingly exhilarated. "In other words, the Iron Valiant was not merely created out of thin air. Someone had to think through the tech that would make it function and fit it all together--just like any other robot from today. Yet the layout was so bizarre, you would think someone made it up on the spot and forced everything to work together flawlessly--just like any invention within a dream. So say the dream mist did create it, that would mean that the dream mist is capable of creating complex constructs with fully hypothetical yet functioning mechanisms untested by modern science! It would be an amazing discovery! Who knows what we could create with such power!"

Oscar realized that he was getting carried away, quickly composed himself. "It's all theoretical of course." He cleared his throat before downing the rest of his glass and placing it on a nearby surface. He clapped his hands together as he approached the machine, "So, that begs the question: What do dreams dream about?"

Lulu Flint

Oscar watched the entire process with childlike wonder, nearly giggling at every colorful flash and burst of energy. The tera crystals were an especially fascinating spectacle, as they performed their function exactly as Oscar had hoped they would when he fantasized about utilizing them back in Area Zero. To see a hypothesis be fulfilled was a remarkable pleasure without equal.

As the dream was extracted, Oscar would turn to Lulu with glittering enthusiasm. "What's next? How do we see into the dream?"

Lulu Flint

Oscar did not need to answer Lulu's confirmation for readiness, he was born ready for this moment. To witness the physical manifestation of a dream was a privilege he would value forever. His body shook as the mist manifested images right before his very eyes. When the scene solidified, Oscar could not help but stare in complete awe.

He watched the machines grow more and more complex, eventually becoming incomprehensible to his regrettably contemporary mind. The cobalion, however, could not keep up with such staggering progress. It became older and older, withering away until it turned into nothing but ashes. The scene paused as the noble pokemon's remains settled onto the ground.

Suddenly, the ashes shifted as an iron hoof burst out from within. An Iron Crown pulled itself from the dust pile, as if digging its way out of a grave. As its full form was revealed, the Iron Crown let out a triumphant roar before turning and running back toward Oscar and Lulu. Oscar was almost too entranced to find the meaning in such a display, though luckily for him the symbolism was rather obvious.

"Perhaps..." He said quietly as he collected his thoughts. "...in the future, maybe we will have to find a way to adapt in a world without legendary pokemon. Would we let things be as nature dictates--or will we make our own?"

Lulu Flint

As the dream faded, Oscar clapped his hands together in front of his nose. He breathed in deeply, his eyes closing as he took in the feelings of elated satisfaction that had come from witnessing such an amazing achievement. They had watched the dream of a pokemon--a paradox pokemon no-less. It was an experience that he would hold onto forever, especially as they delve deeper still into the dream world.

Oscar nodded as he reopened his eyes, formulating his own thoughts on the nature of the Iron Crown's consciousness. He pointed both of his fingers toward Lulu. "That's even more interesting if we adhere to the theory that paradox pokemon aren't 'real' pokemon from the past or future. The fact that something that had no real creation could dream up a perfectly logical explanation for why it was made is--fuckin' mind blowing. I'm fuckin' pumped this is great."

Oscar ran his hands through his hair, chuckling as he once again reflected on what he had just witnessed. It was unequivocally amazing, but there was one question left unanswered. He looked back to Lulu, a spark of joy in his gaze. "Where do we go from here?"

Lulu Flint

Oscar gave Lulu a knowing smile, his eyes gleaming with the allure of infinite possibilities. When Lulu had first spoken to Oscar about her goals, Oscar steadfastly vowed to remain by her side as they parsed the secrets of the dream world. In this moment, as their goals seemed closer than ever before, Oscar would reaffirm his dedication.

"I'm so tired of this world. I'm with you all the way Lulu, until the moment of absolute triumph or failure."

Oscar made his way to the Champaign bottle and refilled their glasses. As he did so, his mind was cleared of the immense road ahead. There was no doubt a thousand things to do in order to make Lulu's dream a reality--but it was not the time to linger on such things. "For now, we should celebrate what you've accomplished so far." Once their glasses were full and clasped, Oscar would raise his up to knock it lightly against Lulu's. "To the future, and our escape from this world."

Lulu Flint