Hideo's Aurorus fired one last Hyper Beam at the debris - clearing the path.

"He thinks destruction is protection, apparently. And it doesn't matter if we get one over the gods if there's nothing left afterwards."

But that was what Rocket did; just take and take and take until nothing was left, with little thought to what came after.

For a second, Hideo wanted to ask Eris how she knew so much about this guy - but he could recall she still probably had some connections in Rocket.

Though Uxie certainly knew how she knew so much - Mesprit had told them about her talk with howard slayte .

"Guess Megalomania's the right word for him. And yeah, we just gotta kick his ass if he tries anything. I already know Uxie can deal with Regirock pretty well…though I hear that's only Regi that guy has at his disposal."

Any Type (600) - using Hyper Beam (150)

600/600

Eris Halla Cassandra Kubrick

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

Cass' fist balls and relaxes as she hears the word sacrifice, even if she might be closer to it than she'd like to believe. A word too common and too prevalent in their world, as nothing comes without a price. She knows - or thinks she does.

"... but humans have found a way to enter it, not? I'm pretty sure League and Rocket are harvesting it, one way or another," she asks, slightly astonished - it kinda feels like they've already done the worst one can do to a being, herself included. She could almost understand if it desires to wipe out their entire existence, even if she'd rather not.

But eventually, she nods at Hideo and Eris' words. Frankly, there should probably more hesitation about her own abilities and capabilities, but she doesn't think right now that there could be a negative outcome, definitely because of a certain blue pixie. "Yeah ... I ... just saw a bigass silhouette during the Petalburg battle." Amongst them, that Regirock that just uprooted part of her hometown. "Very sharp lines though."

She shakes that thought, tries to root herself into reality instead as they progress further down the tunnel. The debris is safely cleared, but of course, that's not the only thing standing in their path. Shortly after, a big, shell-like ... rock? stands in their way. "That looks way too solid," Cass murmurs, wondering ... "Is this ... a pokémon or a rock?" It could be the back of a pokémon ...

She really hopes it's not, though is unsure as she takes out another pokéball and calls for Thalia. "Can you Screech, soften up that ... material a bit?" she asks, though looks at the others for confirmation on the plan as well.

Eris Halla Hideo Kino
TILE: lower defense by at least 4, screech (2) > 2/4+

"Even as a skeleton, it's still got some living parts in it. And it can make some weird things show up in there." Strange Pokemon amalgamations, visions of worlds beyond - it was clear even in death, Eternatus still had some influence.

And things in Hoenn had a habit of not staying dead. He knew that well enough - he was trying to fix that for that Loyal Three.

"...no shock it was big-ass. Regirock sounded big when I fought it, and that was before it dynamaxed." At that point, it was like fighting a mountain; no wonder it did so much damage to Petalburg. Even he was shocked that Uxie could damage it. "I didn't even wanna test if my Mega Medicham could match it in power."

Their next obstacle was in front of them: a shell-like, rock…thing. Uxie wasn't sure what it was, and Hideo didn't have any hints there - and that was exactly why Uxie wanted him to work on that.

He followed Cass's lead, sending out his Annihilape. "Fighty, wanna help with-"

She was already Screeching at the rock before he finished the request. He was pretty sure she was gonna break it the moment it was soft enough; Annihilapes were just like that.

Lower Defense Stat - using Screech (-2)

-4/-4

Eris Halla Cassandra Kubrick

Hideo shrugged. The question was asked to Cass, but he'd answer as well. "Dunno if it's good or not," he said, "but we already got weird stuff going on. And if it wasn't League, then Rocket would hoard the stuff."

He'd even heard rumors that Rocket was there now anyways.

Yippee.

Hideo wasn't as worried about the Regis, though.

"Think that might be a bit a case of 'who shoots first'. Uxie was able to shoot a big chunk outta Regirock's head, and that was with Regirock Dynamaxed." He was shocked that Uxie had that kind of power sitting in its chunky, pizza-stuffed body. "It took the three of the Trio to repel that Dynamax beam, but I think if we got the drop on them, he won't get the chance to tell them to fire it."

And Uxie was good at staying discreet.

As the group progressed, they found themselves faced with a choice: three paths they could take. One forward, one to the left, one to the right.

A Classic Crossroads Conundrum™.

"We should go right," Hideo said. "Easiest way to get through a maze is to only make one kind of turn. And I'd be shocked if these ruins weren't some kind of maze."

Uxie looked to Azelf, quietly asking if they had any opinion where they should go.

Involve a disagreement

Eris Halla Cassandra Kubrick

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

Cass' instinctual reply to Eris would be indignation, but it's softened up by Hideo's words. It's truly a struggle for power one way or another ... but she shakes her head nonetheless, even if Eris has averted her gaze. "I don't think so, I just wanted to say that I don't really fault Eternatus for being mad at us ... if it's even got that much reasoning to hold a grudge. ... actually, it might just seek destruction because." She can't agree nor disagree with Hideo's words, merely shrugging and also, ... "Yeah, it seems to be one or the other whenever it comes to big power sources, no matter what it is exactly."

She'd really like to be a version who could let the dragon sleep, but she knows herself too well. Even if she might be too coward to act on it, neatly putting away those as mere thoughts that keep looming over her head. How fortunate to still feel powerless.

Hideo seems to disagree on that - as Cass finds herself still intimidated by the Regis, he seems to be convinced they could one-up them still. "Oh damn," she remarks, looking at Uxie with a look of genuine surprise - she didn't think that they held that great a power, but it does make sense ... she glances at Azelf, who seems to be quite proud of its sibling, and also nodding along Hideo. "Time to just steal that Dynamax band and we should be golden," Cass replies in half-jest, though the doubt still rings in her voice.

Something that Azelf seems to lack, as soon as it settled around a comfortable environment. Without a moment of hesitation, it already flew ahead towards the middle path, marking its choice clearly and inviting Uxie to also come over. In disagreement with Hideo's pick, however.

"Uh, Azelf picked the middle one," Cass says, "Maybe it thinks that what we're looking for lies in the center of ... whereever we're going?" she suggests.

Eris Halla Hideo Kino
TILE: involve a disagreement