Right to the artery today. Oscar's eyes glanced toward the light that indicated whether or not Zapdos was sitting upon its perch. It was currently on. Oscar took a deep breath through his nose, readjusting his posture as he attained some semblance of confidence. Theo could not get to the Perch without Oscar, so Oscar held all the cards regarding what Theo desired. Speaking of...

"It's on its perch currently, no doubt enjoying a hefty meal of electricity. Might I ask what you seek from it?"

THEO BECKETT

Oscar's left eye twitched as he struggled to process Theo's request--or was it an order? It seemed like one, but it was a nearly impossible task. Zapdos was a being beyond extortion, it would likely balk at such an ultimatum. It held the power, how could Oscar ask anything of it?

Oscar would not keep his skepticism to himself, "Demand? You should know as well as anyone that a legendary pokemon does not entertain demands. How can you place such a thing upon me? An-and why the sudden urgency? We've never been in a rush before!"

Oscar found himself struggling to hide his heavy breathing, his anxiety creeping through him like a gradual frost.

THEO BECKETT

What little confidence Oscar had managed to maintain crumbled under the weight of Theo's glare. It was a look of intense conviction, disillusionment, and worst of all--disappointment. Oscar barely knew Theo, yet he felt the same in this moment as he did during the last conversation he had with his father. Like a failure.

He knew he should have worked from home today.

Oscar looked back toward the perch light, still lit with a now more ominous glow. Oscar did not know what he feared more, the wrath of Rocket or the confirmed indiffernce of Zapdos.

Confirmed indiffernce...there was nothing confirmed. Oscar had been avoiding Zapdos because he did not want to be rejected--yet he had no reason to fear such a possibility. Oscar had provided Zapdos with evey comfort he could afford, and unlimited supply of Infinity Energy to feast upon. Surely that meant something to it.

Oscar's face steeled as he dared to meet Theo's gaze once more. "I will, but on one condition. Let me be the one to appeal to it. If this is my failure then let me be the one to fix it." Oscar straightened up as his own conviction returned to him. "Please, let me make this right."

THEO BECKETT

Oscar watched as Theo suffocated his cigarette against Oscar's desk, inches away from Oscar's courtesy ash tray. It sent a clear message, though even still Oscar wished he had at least tried to aim for the tray.

Oscar walked away from his desk and toward a nearby wardrobe. He opened it to reveal a series of orange insolation suits, neatly lined up on wire hangers. He picked out two of the suits and walked over to press one toward Theo.

"You'll need this. It's not optional." Mostly because if Theo got fried on Oscar's watch Rocket would probably tear him limb from limb. An undesirable outcome to say the least.

Once they were suited up, Oscar would wait for Theo in the elevator. He had his keycard at the ready, swiping it against the elevator buttons whenever the underboss got on. The elevator would shake before ascending up toward The Perch. Wishing to fight back the awkward silence, Oscar reached out for some form of comfort.

"Any last minute sage advice?"

THEO BECKETT

Prepare for the worst? Well it was not much, but it was something. Oscar breathed deeply, trying to center himself as the elevator continued its upward climb. He realized that he was attributing the tension he felt to Theo, when it truly belonged to Zapdos. Oscar feared asking Zapdos of anything, especially its avatar-ship. Oscar worked so hard to gain its favor, the idea that it would reject him after all this time made him feel ill. Yet he could not give in to such negativity. Zapdos would surely sense it as weakness, further ruining Oscar's chance of success. He had to believe in his efforts, their current bond, and most of all--himself. Oscar settled into a state of pure determination, just as the elevator arrived at its destination.

Zapdos was immediately visible as the doors opened, majestically poised upon its electric perch. The bowl shaped wall of its refuge crackled with static electricity, with every pylon and node directing its course into Zapdos. The great bird looked up as Oscar and Theo arrived, staring expectantly. Oscar stepped forward, greeting Zapdos with a bow. "Hello Zapdos, I hope you are doing well." Zapdos nodded back, acknowledging Oscar's good manners.

Oscar sighed heavily, his hands twitching as he tried to grasp for words. Zapdos acted just as any bird would, using its beak to dig through its wings for loose feathers and the like. It was just a normal bird--with unbelievable power. Oscar's clenched his hands into fists, taking in one last deep breath before he began his appeal.

"Zapdos, I humbly beseech you in our time of need! Our region is hurrying toward war, and we believe that your amazing power would help turn the tide! I have hosted you for quite a time, and you have clearly enjoyed the resources I have to offer you. You once trusted me enough to travel at my side, and I ask that you join with me once again. Together we shall lay waste to those that would claim to be our masters, and make them kneel before your magnificence!"

Zapdos looked up from its wing, staring at Oscar blankly. Oscar stepped forward, his fist pressed against his chest. "Please Zapdos! We can perform wonders together! I would continue to be your loyal ally, all I ask is for you to empower me with your boons!" Zapdos continued to stare, and for a moment Oscar actually thought it would agree.

Then it returned to its grooming, shuffling fluff out of its plumage. Oscar did not understand, had he failed? Was he still not worthy? Oscar took another step forward, "Zapdos what else must I do? I will stop at nothing to prove myself! Just tell me what you need of me!" Zapdos continued to prod at itself, and Oscar's heart began to sink. If this was all that occurred, Oscar would have turned away here and now to slink back into the elevator--defeated.

Yet Zapdos just had to look up once more, glaring at Oscar with one side of its head. Oscar locked up, his entire body shuddering at the sight. The expression was more than familiar, and Oscar was once again reminded of his father. It was a look he would receive often, a baneful leer that expressed a clear and crushing phrase:

Are you still here?

Both of Oscar's eyes twitched violently. He would have accepted a rejection, but this? To be outright dismissed by a being he had up until now admired? It changed something within him. Oscar's acts of kindness had come back to bite him very frequently as of late, but this went beyond that. Zapdos was making its position very clear, as far as it was concerned there was no debt to repay. It was taking what it believed it deserved, and Oscar was just its patsy. The very thought made Oscar convulse with rage.

And then he snapped.

Oscar turned away, walking with purpose toward the elevator. Zapdos once again returned to its grooming, paying the humans no further mind. Yet Oscar veered left, striding toward a control panel mounted on the wall next to the left. He made several button presses before grasping an electrical switch. Without hesitation, he would flip it down.

The sound of whirring machinery began to intensify, and the electric current that flowed through Zapdos would suddenly reverse. It did not realize anything had changed at first, but once the sound grew even louder the great bird would realize that something was wrong. And then it screamed.

More and more electricity was extracted from the legendary pokemon, which writhed in agony as its life force was forcibly sapped from its body. It suddenly became clear that this mighty Perch was not only capable of giving electricity. Oscar had designed this chamber to act as a giant Infinity Energy Extractor should the need arise. He had planned to use it for extreme emergencies, such as Zapdos going berserk or the League appearing to spirit it away. Oscar never dreamed of using it out of spite.

Only minutes ago, Oscar would have wept to see Zapdos in such suffering. But within this moment, he could not help but smile.

THEO BECKETT

Oscar's head nodded slowly as Theo spoke, his eyes still fixated on the writhing Zapdos. His smile grew larger inch by inch, his lips quivering as a euphoric joy overcame him. He let out a light chuckle, which gradually increased in volume until Oscar was hysterically laughing. Even still his laughter pushed through his body, until the sounds that escaped his mouth sounded more like painful sobs. Yet his smile never faded.

"I spent years garnering its favor--" He abruptly shouted, more-so at the suffering bird then Theo. "--only to discover that there was none to garner." Oscar's knees buckled together, his chest heaving as his rage became uncontrollable. "I thought it was a god! I would not have admitted it, but I did! But now I remember, and I will not let anyone else forget!" Oscar hobbled forward, now speaking directly to Zapdos. "It's just a pokemon, and all pokemon exist for the glory of Rocket!"

The Infinity Energy extracted from Zapdos had to go somewhere though. Just as Infinity Energy had been sent up to the perch from the Infinity Energy Generator within the plant, now would Zapdos's energy be sent back into that very same generator. Yet the energy of a legendary pokemon was far stronger than the Mega Stone core that powered Oscar's generators. As the generator received this new energy, it began to heat up faster than it could be cooled down. If Oscar did not turn off the extractor, the generator would become overcharged and risk melting down. Unfortunately for the plant and the city of Mauville, Oscar would not even get the chance.

Zapdos refused to die here, it was too powerful to allow such base creatures to overwhelm it. It pushed through the pain, seizing up every one of its strained muscles. Then it would stretch out in every direction, screeching as electricity flowed out of its body and into the perch. Lightning blew apart the pylons and ripped up the wiring. Oscar held up his arms, looking away from the bright flashes of the swirling lightning. The machinery that held the perch walls together was splintered apart, causing the foundations of the 'bowl' to crack violently. Electricity sparked through the pipeline that lead to the generator, speeding up its overheating exponentially and sending it into a full melt down.

Sirens began to sound throughout the plant, and red lights placed within every inch of its layout began blinking rapidly. GMH's workers abruptly ceased their work, and began fleeing from the site in a panic. The generator pipelines began to burst, sending explosions across the entire shaft of the perch's tower. The perch itself began to shake and rumble, gradually tilting to one side. Oscar's initial confusion faded into fury as he saw Zapdos relax, its suffering forcibly stopped by its own power. Luckily for the two Rockets, the great bird was too exhausted to immediately retaliate--though that would not be true for long.

Oscar ripped open his insulator suit and pulled a pokeball from his belt. He released his dragapult and looked toward Theo. "We need to go, now. Need a ride?"

THEO BECKETT