and a hydrogen bomb could be more effective than a hyper beam, albeit vastly more expensive.[break][break]

”touche.”[break][break]

penrose joined the scientist near the floor, reaching into her bag helpfully when she requested things like, ”tape.”[break][break]

when all was ready to be reconnected, she crawled back out to first inspect andrea’s work. after requesting a screwdriver from her alien assistant, she walked over, wiping dust away from her cheek.[break][break]

”looks right,” she assessed, handing the screwdriver to andrea and instructing, ”take the front part off – but don’t touch anything behind it yet.”[break][break]

meanwhile, she went back to work reconnecting the room’s hardware.[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau [break]

Andrea took the screwdriver and went to work, carefully removing the front part. She didn’t know what the purpose of any of this was, but she was helping.

“Thanks for teaching me this stuff, Lulu.” The young woman said, dropping her use of honorifics. “If you ever need me to teach you about Sygna Suits, making sandwiches, or raising dragons, let me know!”

Now that, after much friction between the two of them, they’d finally learned to coexist, Andrea thought to ask a more poignant question. “What do you think it would take for the League and Team Rocket to stop fighting and work together like we’re doing right now?”

Lulu Flint

☉

briefly, her progress hooking up the computers slowed. the gratitude was almost heartwarming.

at the array of offered topics, she was about to take the opportunity to bring up the strange pokemon from the prison when andrea asked an unexpected question of her own.[break][break]

lulu sighed, exasperated by desires of unreachable peace. she didn’t want it anyways, and Naomi Sato ’s attempts had left a sore spot on her mind.[break][break]

“as i’ve said before, the league is dangerous. they push rocket to means because they will not answer for their corruption and world-endangering actions. we will not bend to their law. we will fight, and that is that.”[break][break]

after a pause, she extended an invitation, “you’re welcome to join us.”[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau [break]

Lulu’s response wasn’t wholly unexpected, but it left a sore spot on Andrea’s own mind. If even someone as bright as her believed that peace was impossible, then maybe it truly was.

“I see…” The dragon maiden let out an exasperated sigh of her own. “The League claims that you’re the dangerous ones.” She, of course, knew that wasn’t entirely true either. Things were not black and white, as THEO BECKETT had told her long ago.

Likewise, the invitation to join the syndicate was turned down. “I can’t. Some of my closest friends have been hurt by Rocket. People like Elise Calcifet and Elinor Anderson. What would they think of me if I joined you?” The girl said.

“There’s another reason…” She continued, while working on the panel. “I could never join an organization that abuses Pokémon. And you do abuse them. I’ve seen what Pokémon that were rescued from the black market look like. Their eyes are full of pain and fear…”

Things may not have been black and white, but that was no excuse to turn a blind eye to Rocket’s sins. They were just as corrupt, if not more so, than those they protested against.

Lulu Flint

☉

“we are dangerous, but it’s by necessity. we are fighting a war – one we will win.”[break][break]

she listened, finishing up with the connections. she found andrea’s rejection of the invitation along with her reasoning unsurprising.[break][break]

”suit yourself. cruelty can be found on both sides – the league just tends to hide it better. without their patronage, the black market would not be as profitable as it is.”[break][break]

with the connections complete, she approached the breaker and the mess of wires that slept behind the cover. her poipole hovered curiously over her shoulder as she pointed and explained, ”electricity goes into the main power terminals here. you have your pokemon?”[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau [break]

Necessity… The more she heard that frustrating word being thrown around by both sides of the conflict, the more it sounded like an excuse to absolve themselves of any guilt. As long as something was ‘necessary’, it could never be evil.

They had hit a moral brick wall. Perhaps, then, it was best to focus on something else. “You want electricity? You got it! Mecha-Chomper, hit that terminal with a Charge Beam!” The eccentric trainer ordered.

Like an obedient machine, the Iron Jugulis followed her order to the letter, shooting three electrical streams from its three mouths.

Lulu Flint

☉

she was reaching for a pokeball to assist chomper when the paradox pokemon’s attack came earlier and more powerful than she’d expected.[break][break]

”wait, careful–!“[break][break]

briefly, lights flickered in the room before boom. bits of metal shot like bullets, into glass and dinging off hardware. wires melted. slowking’s pink glow was gradually dimmed by a rapidly growing cloud of toxic smoke.[break][break]

”shit!”[break][break]

lulu ducked and coughed and grabbed her bag, backing towards the exit while penrose waved away the smoke. she couldn't quite see andrea, but took a hopeful guess that she was still alive, and hurried her along. ”let’s go. i’m not fixing that today.”[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau [break]

In the scientific method, the most dangerous word of all was ‘Oops’. How many experiments had gone horribly wrong due to a slight miscalculation? Granted, most scientists didn’t work with Paradox Pokémon.

“W-what went wrong? I was sure this was gonna work!” Andrea blurted out in bewilderment, while running away from the growing cloud of smoke, her Iron Jugulis in tow. As for her Slowking… he took his sweet time, but he eventually caught up.

“Bronson, use Ice Beam!” The costumed trainer ordered, hoping that they could at least contain the explosion by freezing some of the broken machinery over.

Lulu Flint

☉

“electricity overload. too much, too fast. i should’ve warned you first, but it’s fine. plenty of other stations in this world. next time.”[break][break]

as the machines froze over, she turned to leave. there was little disappointment; she had not expected any great success.[break][break]

andrea’s company was worth the failure, if only for the answers lulu had yet to get, to questions she’d yet to find the opportunity to ask.[break][break]

“are you old enough to drink?”[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau [break]

Next time, indeed. Those words carried an unspoken promise to meet again, to go on another adventure together. “Don’t worry, we won’t fumble it next time!”

The scientist’s next inquiry was certainly unexpected. The eccentric cosplayer thought loudly. “Hmm, the legal drinking age in Hoenn is 18 and I’m 20, so yeah, that makes me old enough.” She surmised. “W-wait, how old did you think I am?!” She added, puffing out her cheeks in mild anger.

Had Lulu thought she was a minor? With THOSE assets?!

Lulu Flint

☉

if there was truly a next time – and there was unlikely to be, if she got the information she wanted – she would be more careful. she would say ‘no’ when she knew better. she would control the situation.[break][break]

but this had not been about the station. certainly, she had not needed andrea for that.[break][break]

”no, we won’t,” she agreed.[break][break]

about andrea’s age, lulu shook her head. she had assumed andrea’s choice of attire was a phase, something kids grew out of. having grown into a family where appearances were everything, she could not relate to being so unabashed and carefree with such a vivid imagination.[break][break]

”i don’t know. let’s get a drink, then. i’m done here if you are.”[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"]Andrea Vaneau [break]

“A drink?” Lulu’s invitation, which was extended willingly, sparked hopeful aspirations about their blossoming friendship. If the other woman actively sought her company now, that meant for sure that they were best of friends!

“Sure, I’d love to! Let’s go right now!” The dragon maniac eagerly nodded, withdrawing her Iron Jugulis into its ball. “Bronson, get ready to use your Teleport!”

“Sloooooooow!”

Lulu Flint

☉