The past in the present

ft. Yuina Higashi

Doug held no expertise and no knowledge were subjects of time and distortions were concerned.

His was the realm of medicine, anatomy, psychology, empathy, intuition.

Theoretical Physics (or... actual physics at this point, he supposed) were math heavy— and he and math were old enemies.

No, he was just here for Yuina.

He had made as much time for her as he could now, knowing that things would become truly busy once all anti-rocket, anti-invasion in general efforts resumed in earnest.

So he just smiled and nodded, the lovely himbo boyfriend merely standing nearby as she fiddled with the machine, his gaze on the moon, and his senses on their surroundings.

"S'fine, luv. Been fun enough, just seein' ya resist slappin' the machine's nuts n' bolts off."

It had been, though he wasn't there just to spend time with her. Just mostly.

It felt like every time he met Yuina, she was dealing with something new. Bigger and darker demons kept rearing in their ugly heads, poisoning the well of her own thoughts and sense of self.

Even now, as his eyes fluttered shut, he could sense it within her, a whirlwind of dark thoughts contained within a smell vessel at the pit of her stomach, so to speak.

The Drk Triad's brazen approach in Mossdeep as well, put him on edge— he was reluctant to leave her alone anywhere, but specially in a dark, empty location like a forest, were she could be attacked with no one the wiser.

"'Cause of yer new powers, ya?" He said, tipping his hat down as he hummed thoughtfully. "Think the machine would act up if Celebi came near it?"

But again, he mostly just wanted to spend time with her. Two weeks was two weeks too many.

---

TL;DR:
-hanging out, watching her work.
-keeping guard subtly.
-chatting.

"Sleeper Agent."

Tap.

"We are not. In a movie. Navidson."

Tap.

"Real sleeper agents. Are trained. Undercover. And perfectly aware. Of their mission."

Crack.

"A lot of things. Happen at this table. Choose your words... more carefully. Lest others get. The wrong idea."

His finger slid out of the hole, shifting an inch to the right.

Tap.

"I'd be hesitant. To act rashly. At a triad's word. They seem to know. A lot about us."

Tap.

"But pray tell. What. Exactly. Will 'our custody' entail. This time?"

She was already a ranger. She was already working for the league.

More than anything— she was his family now.

And there was precious little. He wouldn't be willing to do.

If what little remained of his family was being threatened right in front of him.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"I pray."

Tap.

"It's nothing."

Tap.

"Like our previous attempts."

Where unstable 'parties' bested by with authority by the league themselves could even get a chance to brutalize her.

And then, get away with a slap on the wrist.

BLITN

ft. Yuina Higashi

He was wandering. Going somewhere.

It felt like both days and years had passed since he had fallen into the haze. Wandering through messy, colorful planes: terribly grounded memories, nonsensical wonderlands of unspoken desire, shadowy, horrifying nightmares— everything in between.

Never intervening, only observing— drawn by the distant colors that broke the monochrome of magenta that was the mist.

Forgetting mere moments after witnessing, getting lost in the meaningless details, getting dragged about by the familiar silhouette of his matron as it darted around within the haze.

Lucidity came sparingly, briefly. He only had but moments to ponder where in the world he was before falling back into the haze. Perhaps, if left alone, he'd forever wander the mists, following the colors until whatever was expected of him was achieved.

However. His detours to appreciate the colors never once changed his final destination— a growing, darkening, familiar shade of hazel.

It was now almost pitch black. And even as out of it as he was... it made him go faster. A brisk walk turned into a jog, then a run, then a sprint.

The haze was growing slight; pink giving way to familiar streets and buildings. Familiar walls and ceilings. A familiar door and welcome mat.

Not quite lucid just yet, John Douglas Sullivan nonetheless leaned forward and peered through the door... His ghostly, pink torso sticking out and over one Yuina Higashi and looking down at her with glassy eyes.

---

TL;DR:

AQUA INITIATIVE V

Fashionably late.

"I was actually thinkin' up something like that myself, Ms. Morningstar." He said, snapping the folder shut in his hand.

Whatever else he thought about the councilwoman's words, he zipped it for later, focusing in on one particular part of her input.

"Rocket Kanto invested considerably for their latest victory."

Soldiers were not an infinitely renewable resource. Human beings had an 18 year growth cycle— give or take couple of years. With how little morality Rocket operated under, it could well go as low as... 10 years, for some totally random, non-fandom specific number.

"It's been almost exactly 7 years. Between the rockets they lost, the soldiers and civilians they killed and the refugees that escaped to different regions..." His hands squeezed together tightly as he said this. "There's a limit to how many troops they could've recuperated since the original kanto war and their failed johto takeover."

He hummed.

"So I do think now's a good time to test their defenses." He said, before moving his gaze over to Remiel Calcifet. "Though I'm not sure delegating the task to Galar alone is feasible."

Nevermind Remiel's own current shaky relationship with his homeland—

"No state would go to war on another state's behalf." Not without a clear cut benefit to themselves. Maybe for a vassal state, but Hoenn hadn't fought so hard and so long just to surrender its sovereignty to another power that might bring down rocket.

"But— at this point, most regions have their own little branch of rocket." None as considerable as Hoenn's, for obvious reasons, but they were still there, being a pest. "With the fall of Kanto, the attempt at Johto, and now the landing on petalburg— it should be clear to all nations that Rocket Kanto doesn't intend to just be some hermit kingdom."

There was no other way to say it— Rocket Kanto had imperial ambitions of expansion. At least, that was how it appeared. And if they took over Hoenn, with its unique combination of unique weapons and otherworldly resources—

"The danger Rocket represents not just to other regions sovereignity, but to the 'rules-based international order' has been made clear. " He said after a moment.

"Sooo... I'd like to propose reachin' out as well, but not just to Galar. I think we should reach out to all our allied regions." He said, ignoring his nerves. Proposing ideas at the table was always nerve-wracking.

"I also believe we should not try for prolonged conflict to start with— rather; we should propose a single, joint operation. Test both Rocket Kanto's defenses as well as the effectiveness of an alliance." With some luck, results (and maybe a little bit of a sunk-cost fallacy) will help keep the alliance steady. "If each nation need only invest a relatively few troops and resources of their own, they should be more amenable to any plans."

No single nation needed to shoulder the resource burden of conflict with Kanto Rocket, if a number of them came together.

---

TL;DR:
-Likes freya morningstar's proposal, as it resembles what he had been cookin in the 'noggin.
-Decides to build up on it.
-comments on the limited nature of human resources, and the time it takes to build them up
-recalls the many such resources Rocket lost during Kanto and the failed Johto takeover
-comments on the investment rocket Kanto made to surprise attack Petalburg with overwhelming numbers.
-thus, vocally agrees with Freya that now's a good time to test Kanto's defenses.
-Does not think Galar alone would do it if asked, however.
-Points out that all regions are now aware that Kanto Rocket is not some hermit kingdom. Any claims of rocket hoenn and rocket kanto as distinct entities have been swept away by their most recent and obvious conjoined operation.
-Mentions Rocket Kanto's actions suggest at ambitions of old school Imperial expansion— a 'dick move' by modern international law standards.
-comments on 'international rules-based order' stuff; tl;dr: nations project their legitimacy on the world stage through agreed upon laws and other things; rogue states challenge that legitimacy when allowed to do as they please.
-Proposes reaching out not just to Galar, but to all allied regions; not for a prolonged conflict, but a single operation meant to test not just rocket kanto's current defenses, but also the effectiveness of an alliance.

AQUA INITIATIVE V

Fashionably late.

Fernando did not answer. Nonetheless, Doug expected— well, hoped really— the man to get back to him later down the meeting.

The conversation moved on to ELITE 4 Candidates. Most present had someone in mind. He had his issues with the more high-profile amongst them.

"CIAN MAHER, lam logan, Gwyar Wledig and... Josh Devlin are all beloved gym leaders; at any other time, makin' them Elite 4 would be a good call, I think. Maher specially." He said, not entirely able to mask his still remaining, if slight, distaste, for the master of faster. "As things are though, I believe it'd be a blow to public morale in their cities— specially Maher and Devlin."

Too close to Petalburg, and people had a tendency to assume the worst in times of war.

He refrained from commenting on the others— he didn't really know much about them.

DESIREE BLOOMS and Genevieve Cromwell were really, really close to Yuina Higashi, but he barely knew them beyond their names and faces.

He had only met Noel Parker in passing, and he had seemed a little too impatient and temperamental during that... surprise meeting with FERNANDO SILPH.

He literally knew nothing about Eduardo Hisakawa beyond having seen his name floating around in a number of reports.

And it didn't take any braincells to know how he felt about Hideo Kino being even mentioned on a war council.

His gaze slides over to ollie morales as he makes a crack, lightly tilting a brow, before turning his gaze back to the table

"Thomas Benoit." He suggests bluntly. "I don't think his strength and experience are debatable, both as a trainer and a combatant. And I dunno about anyone else mentioned— Eduardo Hisakawa, maybe?— but he has actual military and command experience. We're at war and he is a soldier and officer, through and through."

Seemed important, given that some E4 members were even serving as generals.

Despite past disagreements, he was already back to working for them, and had been granted access to Tapu Koko. It seemed like past disagreements had already been buried. Plus, they had former rocket admins present. Old disagreements seemed minor.

And, unlike most who people who left— Thomas never stopped fighting rocket, even while alone.

---

TL;DR:
-Thinks this is a bad time for to be taking competent gym leaders from much needed roles— mostly due to public morale issues.
-Doesn't really know enough of the non gym leader picks to vouch for any of them.
-Suggests Thomas Benoit, because, like, duh.

AQUA INITIATIVE V

Fashionably late.

He almost sighed. Almost.

No break, no chastisement, not even a mild rebuke for all the passive aggressive (and just outright aggressive) stuff being said around the table—

Fine. Move on.

Such was AQUA, for better or worse.

Mostly worse.

"Indeed." He finally says at the Commissioners response to him, looking back over the documents freya morningstar had given him.

Then, he leaned over towards the man next to him, lowering his voice to a whisper as conversation continued.

"Mr. Silph. I've a small question. Sorry for botherin'."

He looked up at FERNANDO SILPH and his towering, 6' 11" frame.

"Have there been any delegations from other regions since Petalburg was captured?"

On the eve of a tragedy and humanitarian crisis— had the other regions remembered to do anything at all? Sent their proverbial get better soon cards at the very least?

---

TL;DR:
-Irritated that people are acting out, wants there to be more moderation to keep things civil.
-Leans over to Fernie to whisper, since he's the foreign relations council member.
-Asks if the other regions are doing anything in response to the petalburg takeover tragedy and the subsequent humanitarian crisis

AQUA INITIATIVE V

Fashionably late.

There was a brief moment were he considered asking freya morningstar if she was certain declan walsh had been protected by 'prophecy' and not, say, his own avatar abilities, amongst which some measure of intangibility had made the reports, nevermind his patron's identity allowing for other sorts of conjecture.

But he didn't want to be the next black haired man to get chewed out by dragon teeth so:

"Er. If I may— perhaps a brief coffee break's in order?" Doug said wryly, turning his gaze to dahlia goode. "Think we've warmed up for a little too long."

He could feel the tension, and for once that was actually quite literal. It felt like it was right there, for him to just grab.

He tried to ignore it.

---

TL;DR:
- Has doubts about this 'prophecy'.
- Keeps his mouth shut so he doesn't get Remiel'd.
- Suggests a coffee break.
- tries to avoid sucking up the high emotions

AQUA INITIATIVE V

Fashionably late.

"Please do, thank you." He said to Eva Morales with a small nod, his hand grasping the tablet PENELOPE LIVY slid his way. "Pinpoint Accuracy isn't needed, but it'd certainly not hurt."

He smiled at the councilwoman and nodded in gratitude, before lowering his gaze to the device.

Around him, argumentation occurred.

Appeals to emotion galore in here.

He had never been a stellar multi-tasker— he wassn't emotionally uninvested enough to comment on the amnesty policy unbiased, either.

So he tried to focus on the tablet... for a bit. Still— somehow, he could get a sense for the ebb and flow of the conversation, even while processing the reports.

"If these numbers are right—" Doug said at Remiel Calcifet's words, now pawing through documents freya morningstar had kindly slid his way. "The people got their reminder."

The smoldering remains Petalburg hospital and its patients were as good a reminder as any, surely.

He scowled at the numbers, jaw setting.

"Matias brings up one good point. This is the best it's ever been for would be defectors." He said, turning a page. "If, even with the amnesty program, even after seeing Kanto's Rocket burning a city to the ground and slaughtering people like cattle, those 'hoenn citizens' are not willing to come forward— then I don't think any amount of bells and whistles will be enough."

The amnesty program was a relatively simple process with what amounted to a slap on the wrist for the generally very severe crimes committed in the name of Rocket, and the immorality of Rocket's Petalburg invasion was obvious.

A brutal, indefensible offensive in which Team Rocket had, amongst many things, boldly and shamelessly blown up a hospital within the first 10 minutes; Even putting aside soldiers, they had killed civilians, medical personnel, patients without a second thought.

International Law must have seemed like a joke to them. Never mind base morality.

"I'm not against keeping the amnesty program as is— but I don't think there's good reason to further invest into its allotted resources. It has enough." Finally, he closed the folder. "The recent events should've refreshed the memories of both the people of hoenn, and those wishing to leave Rocket. Those willing to come will come."

Someone who wouldn't help themselves could not be helped by anybody else. A minimum of effort from both parties was needed to help pull a man hanging from a cliffside.

Finally, he turned his gaze back towards dahlia goode.

"Speaking of investments— This seems like a considerable investment into Hoenn for Rocket Kanto, yeah?" He said, sliding back PENELOPE LIVY's tablet towards the woman.

A sticky note was attached to the edge, reading 'thank you'.

"Pardon me for bringing up estimates again—" He turned his gaze over to Eva Morales. "Could you remind me of the estimates on Rocket Kanto's military capacity, professor? Sorry to impose."

---

TL;DR:
- Responds to Eva Morales, grabs the tablet from PENELOPE LIVY.
- Doug is reading.
- Everyone is being very excitable, and it's making Doug feel... sharper.
- grabs papers from freya morningstar!
- Comments on Remiel Calcifet's 'reminder' bit, thinking hoenn certainly got one.
- Avoids biting his tongue while saying MATIAS SILPH is right about a single thing.
- believes that the amnesty program is fine as is, and given recent events, will bring results. People who can be helped will be helped.
- returns tablet to penny, sticky note says thank you.
- asks a leading question
- asks Eva Morales and dahlia goode about the estimates on Rocket Kanto's proper military numbers.

AQUA INITIATIVE V

Fashionably late.

"Thank you, sir." He says, grabbing the coffee.

If he notices all the debris inside of it, he neither reacts nor comments on it, throwing it all down the hatch in one, two, three uninterrupted gulps.

As he sets down the mug, goosebumps spread over his skin, the words of the people around him becoming more clear than before as the world comes into sharper focus, an incoming yawn dying before it reached his mouth as Fernando finished his peace.

"Speaking of! Before discussion moves on to General Connors' point— " He suddenly intoned cheerfully after the FERNANDO SILPH, looking at dahlia goode, then freya morningstar.

"What's our current estimates on the numbers for the Kantonian Forces in Petalburg? I'm outta the loop for anything that happened after." His brain was kicking into gear— he just needed to feed it some much needed info first.

---

TL;DR:
- Doug drinks coffee.
- Doug asks commissioner and war council member 'bout the number of Kantonian rocket forces that made landing on Petalburg.

AQUA INITIATIVE V

Fashionably late.

It took him a moment to register Melody's question, to think of an answer, and to reply.

By the time he had a response, the commissioner had arrived, things had moved on, and discussion was lively.

He spoke no words, instead practicing his best bobblehead impression, eyes drifting open and closed whilst trying to find the best moment to politely answer the champion's greeting.

Ultimately, he had to come to the unfortunate conclusion that it would be rude to try and respond from across the table while serious conversation was being had.

He did his best to smile at the Top champion in place of an answer, nodding sluggishly (several minutes after the question had long been asked) before turning a slow gaze towards Fernando.

His eyes were half-lid, the young man pausing on his way to mutter something, his lips sealed even as his jaw clearly unclenched for a moment in a swallowed yawn.

"Apologies, sir." He muttered, voice low and airy as he gestured at the man's coffee, eyes drifting all over the place like rolling billiard balls. "May I?"

He wasn't sure of when he would wake up if he went back to sleep.

---

TL;DR:
- Doug is sleepy.
- Doug asks FERNANDO SILPH for his coffee.

AQUA INITIATIVE V

Fashionably late.

His head was swimming. But his body did not seem encumbered by the pulsing in his temples.

He marches forward, the click of his boots' heels echoing against steel walls, through a long hallway.

A vaguely familiar hallway, tinted in an unnatural, magenta hue by a curtain of rolling mist.

He's seen this before. Sort of. Couple of years back. In the era of Katherine Fairburne.

When did he get there?

He can't recall when. Nor why, for that matter.

"... What was I doing?" He mutters to himself as he stops in his tracks, brows furrowing.

The moment he stops, however, he feels a tug. Invisible, something tugs at him, at his his neck, at his wrists and ankles— it makes him stumble.

In the mist, he sees a vague, egg shaped silhouette. Familiar enough, ambling and swaying through the air.

"Lele?" He mutters, stumbling into one step and flowing into the other, power walking after his matron silhouette's single mindedly, not even noticing as the walls and doors in his path, nor the vague silhouette's standing before them.

He perceives beyond them a myriad colors, tainted by a blotch of inky dark.

The colors swirl around a round table of sorts, familiar enough.

They are nauseating to look at; pungent to the nose, acrid to the tongue, frigid to the touch, roaring static to the ear.

All around irritating. He finds himself trying to tune it all away whilst following his matron's silhouette to a seat, before watching her disappear.

He stares at it momentarily, his gaze drifting back to the colors around the table dully, before finally dropping down.

---

Unseen amongst open dialogue and argumentation, a dull faced Colonel phases unto a seat, mist spilling around him briefly as he settles into place like a doll, face lax and eyes glassy.

---

TL;DR:
- Doug arrives Asper tape lele's orders
Tapu Lele, Orbeetle, Accelgor

All is Found

ft. Yuina Higashi

But there was nothing to be found there. Only the dangers that came from a warzone— a structure well on its way to complete collapse, and the cruel invaders responsible for it.

And yet.

As the young woman and her pokemon advanced, searching desperately, it all, too, began to disappear. To fade.

The smell of burning rubble, blood and gore. The sounds of marching troops and alert guards. And the even the horrid sights of a captured city.

It was all fading away, behind a rich curtain of pink mist. A rich fragrance of flowers and open seas. And the familiar sound of dissonant giggling.

A figure slowly emerged from the mist.

Tapu Lele's magenta & cyan eyes met Celebi's, then Yuina's, the deity raising a hand to greet them all heartily.

---

TL;DR:

Indiana John

ft. howard slayte, Yuina Higashi

The archaeologist would find the doctor's eyes squarely back on him as he side-eyed.

"What." Doug asked flatly.

The elder man chuckled at the brief interaction, slowly rubbing at his beard as the Howard continued.

"Ruins, you say?" The old man asked, humming thoughtfully. "That's not an issue, though... I'm not certain there's anything of the sort on this island."

The man tapped at his chin thoughtfully, thinking of what he knew.

In the meanwhile...

The little girl huffed and puffed up her chest before the two unknown nerds, clearly not understanding almost anything they were saying but unafraid all the same.

At Yuina's words, the old man's attention drifted towards the clay blocks they had unearthed, cocking his head for a moment.

"Those'd be remnants of an old totem, I'd wager." He didn't share his reasoning for this deduction, merely closing his eyes and continuing to think.

"I'm don't believe you'll find any significant 'ruins' on our island, but... You may come with us, if you desire. Perhaps you'll find what you're looking for all the same." The old man said, brushing his beard.

He gasped softly.

"Ah, we haven't introduced ourselves, have we?" He realized then. "I am Koa-Kanno. That little one is Kimyo. It's... a pleasure to meet you, I believe your sayings go?

At the mention of her name, the little girl grinned confidently at the two nerds babbling nonsense at her, arms akimbo.

Doug grinned back, before turning his gaze to the old man.

"I'm Doug. Nerd #1 over there's Yuina. Nerd #2's called Howard. Pleasure's all ours, gramps!"

Koa-Kanno chuckled and nodded, before turning to lead the way, Kimyo following close behind... though she kept glancing over her shoulder to make sure they weren't up to anything.

---

TL;DR:
Mission