It'd been a hot minute, since Makoto had gone into an RKS simulation - and it felt a bit strange, to be immersing themself into it for a third time after a few months of nothing.

The scenario before them - one that they had made a point to seek out - was familiar, playing out just as they remembered it. A temple being constructed, and within a familiar and strange violet chunk. It is no less disturbing to stare at, with the way it pulses.

Although this time around, in addition to Erebus - their Deoxys - being present, they had someone rather than Ameena at their side. Someone they were less familiar with.

As they turned to face Mille, they'd open their mouth to speak on complete habit, asking "Have you..." ... Only to stop and blink a second, as their mind clicked that dee isn't going to hear you, dummy. It doesn't help that given their lack of a proper education past maybe middleschool, any knowledge of sign language they might have learned in the past would've long since atrophied.

Perhaps it'd be useful to pick back up, if the two of them ever started working together more often.

In the meantime though, they'd use their own phone - typing out a question for dem. Have you done this before? I intend to touch the purple stone, which may cause visions and feelings of unease, to show something to Erebus. The more informed dee was, the better.

They hoped that taking the same action as before would achieve the same results...

Fenelle Miller

[attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"]

Fenelle frowns slightly at the action of the simulated people. They'd just let them to this artifact? Like this? That's highly irresponsible, but hey, it allows them to figure out what this all is about ... Makoto seems to be familiar with the scenario already. They move onward to the temple, and then to that stone that looks, honestly, like a heart.

But frankly, the actual-present and alive Deoxys is a bit more interesting than that purple chunk. Fenelle regards it with open curiosity, but quickly move to look at Makoto as they start talking, focusing on their mouth ... but gladly, dee wouldn't have to rely on lipreading.

I have not done this scenario before. I'm good with touching the purple stone if that helps you.

Dee tilts der head questioning after having typed the answer, looking at Erebus again. Dee wonders what Makoto might want to achieve here .... but honestly, dee is excited to figure it out.

Makoto Kurumi
choice touch the purple chunk

Even in knowing what to expect as they reached out to touch the chunk, it did not make the vision any less disorienting. Any less disturbing.

Eternatus is a baleful sight, a monstrous thing that only portends blight and fear. The thought that this could have once terrorized the land in the past was an unsettling one, one that rose the question of 'what if it came again'?

But, they find themself focusing more upon the Deoxys that emerges to clash with it. They try to commit every detail of it to their mind. To compare it against what they knew of Erebus - but... While it seemed as though the appearance of the body was the same, the core was a different color from its own.

Granted, Erebus' core was a bit cloudy from damage; it would take repair for the true color to come forth.

The anxiety that seems to fill the air was a bit more bearable this time around; though it doesn't stop Makoto's heart from hammering in their chest, even as they suck in a deep breath. They glance to Erebus - (who was similarly uneased, its coiled limbs briefly tightening) - and gave it a reassuring pat, asked "Did any of that seem familiar, or jog a memory?"

It takes a second for Erebus to respond to this, as it considers what it had just seen. The Deoxys that had appeared in that vision... But, it'd soon respond with a shake of its head; none of that had seemed even remotely familiar to it, honestly.

Makoto frowns at this, but sighs, as the scenario around them begins to shift and change. Maybe, if Rocket ever managed to revive the other Deoxys, someone could ask that one this same question.

At least for the time being, they glance to Mille to see how dee was doing.

50 RKS points so far

Fenelle Miller

[attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"]

Mille freezes as the vision of the skeletal dragon comes over dem, massive and sharp, a true beginning of the end. Once upon a time, in myths and legends ... that are so very much real. Dee forces der unmoving body to look at the purple chunk again, and a feeling of paranoia.

But there, huh-

A Deoxys quite similiar to the one standing next to Mille emerges from a meteroid to attack the raging Eternatus. Now in the possession of der body again, dee blinks several times and der head whips around from here to there. It's amazing how even in times of fear, dee manages to grip der phone and swiftly type out a message that dee would send to Makoto.

(But maybe it has to be like this - what good would a hacker do if they crack under pressure, unable to type any more line of code?)

Is that- That's not Erebus, right?

A short glance at Erebus doesn't seem to convey any sort of recognition, at least, but dee is well aware that right now, der mind might be one of the most untrustworthy things in existence. Der limbs are rigid, stiff, a call to attention - and yet, a shiver is running through der entire being as dee fights the settling unease and paranoia, not noticing the shift of the scenario as dee's too much in der own head.

Makoto Kurumi

Makoto doesn't blame Mille for der unease, even with the advance warning they gave dem. There was something about this 'star' - this piece of Eternatus - that simply exuded fear itself.

At the question offered though, Makoto shook their head as they typed their response. I hoped that Erebus would find something familiar; but it didn't recognize anything. Which meant that it was back to the drawing board, for figuring Erebus out for the both of them. They had heard of some strange sights cropping up in Area Zero, so perhaps that would be a good next step...

... But for now, the scenery shifted to something else that was familiar. The white tree, the petrified pokemon... Makoto couldn't help the slightest shudder - both at being beckoned, and at remembering what happened the last time they were given this scenario.

The last time that another member and I got this scenario, they burned the tree down, and it turned this place into a warzone. They informed Mille, glancing to dem. What would dee choose, in this case? What would watering the tree do?

50 RKS points so far

Fenelle Miller

[attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"]

Fenelle nods in understanding, wondering.

Does this have to do with the multiverses? That it's another Deoxys - or maybe ... in what universe do these simulations even take place?

For all the frequency and willingness dee has for entering these simulations over and over again, there's truly much to be discovered about them, too. Who made them? (How did they figure out subtitling and sometimes even sign interpreters?) What's the timeline ... truly, there's so many questions.

But there's another question that comes into der mind as the scenario shifts around them, and they find themself looking at a tree. It's strange to think that a tree could actually communicate its desires. The petrification of the tree reminds dem a bit of Sudowoodo and thus also of a very stubborn girl insisting its a plant type ...

However, turning back to Makoto, they ponder their words for a moment.

Shall we see what happens then if we water it? To gain more information about this scenario.

If burning means war, would watering mean ... peace? Would life suddenly return to this area? Only one way to find out.

Makoto Kurumi
choice water it

Makoto takes a second, at Mille's questions. ... I'm not sure. I could also see there being multiple Deoxys out there, and Erebus was one of the few to end up here. They responded, tapping at their phone after a moment's thought. There was no way to really say for sure, whether there was one Deoxys or many Deoxi out in the great expanse of space.

The universe was a big place, after all.

But, as Mille suggests watering the tree, Makoto nods - and reaching for their belt, they'd let out their Kingdra, Ryuu. "Rain Dance." From above, the rain would pour down - focused upon the white tree...

... And with the crackle of wood, the swaying of the leafless branches above, the petrified pokemon lived once more.

Though Makoto was making a point to try and keep their expressions generally neutral or calm... Here, there'd be a hue of awe as they looked to the pokemon, and the shining markings they bore.

Erebus turned to glance at Makoto, its mind brushing against their own. Like Tsukiko. And Kuro. It observed, through snippets of memory.

"Illumina pokemon..." They breathed, slowly nodding in agreement. This sight, it was beautiful - and they couldn't help a faint, warm, smile crossing their face as they reached down to stroke the fur of one of the grateful pokemon. A show of their softer heart.

But soon, they'd have to go - and with it, the scene would begin to shift once more...

100 RKS points so far

Fenelle Miller

[attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"][attr="class","emapkmn"]

Fenelle nods at Makoto's reply, pondering and nodding again.

I assume the vast expanse of space doesn't care for the exact number - maybe they're as numerous as stars, and it wouldn't even really matter.

A humbling thought, dee thinks, too, as the tree gets watered and the landscape springs to life once more. Even on a mind as dry and focused as Mille's, the sight is awe-inspiring in a way, how life returns to a forsaken place with seemingly one simple action. But dee remains unmoved still, as dee simply observes and notices the strange markings, and also notices that Erebus and Makoto seem to notice, too.

What are these markings? I think I have read about them before ... Illumina Pokémon?

Dee carefully mouths it as dee has learned, and it seems to match what Makoto has just said ... Der interest for the revived pokémon remains purely on an analytical level.

I wonder how true the events of the simulation are ... did they actually happen sometime?

Makoto Kurumi

As Dee asks about the pokemon, Makoto is snapped from their reverie - and they fumble the phone a tiny bit before they properly respond. Illumina pokemon, yes. They have markings that can glow brilliantly. A few of my pokemon are Illumina. It really felt as though they were a magnet for Illumina Pokemon, given the three they owned, despite their relative rarity.

But as far as the simulations went... I'm not sure; some of them are quite strange. But I think most of them, even if they never happened, are based in reality. Even if they never have or will happen, they were plausible enough - with a lesson to be taken from it, they supposed.

The next shift is far more drastic than one of biome, however; as they go from grove to spaceship. Makoto blinks owlishly, glancing around as they return Ryuu. Their mind briefly drifts to that of the Trinity Trials that they had experienced--

-- But a tremor and blaring of alarms breaks them from their reminiscence! A regal and ancient thing is tearing at the ship, and they are initially alarmed, readily reaching for their balls to figure out who to send out ...

FIGHT BACK.

... But Erebus' feelings flood their mind, freezing them in place as they barely have the brainspace to consider any actions. The Deoxys' core, though cloudy from damage, shines as it gathers together energy - energy that it releases in a Hyper Beam as the 'hand' reaches for the group..!

100 RKS points so far

Fenelle Miller