Zev had never visited fern delaney in their office on the submarine before. He'd had no reason to. But in light of the recent revelation that had spilled from an alien woman's lips, he thought it prudent to meet with the admin. [break][break]

"Delaney," was the Beast's only greeting as he closed the door behind him. "I want to talk about what transpired at Ultra Megalopolis." [break][break]

Only a few days had passed since that strange incident. Lingering tensions at home kept Zev away, busy with work. Unlike humans with their emotional fragility, he dealt with the trauma of seven days' torture in the same manner as a childhood's worth: locked away and smothered. [break][break]

As he approached Fern's desk, he watched the other's face for signs of similar wear.

TAGS – fern delaney[break]
NOTES – mission

[attr="class","pkmn"]

"Quinn." [break][break]

If there was one thing Zev appreciated about Cillian, it was the underboss' sense of professionalism. Though they were cut from different bolts of cloth, they had both become weapons of the highest quality. [break][break]

The PRESSURE exerted upon the room was not comfortable, but it was not uncomfortable, either. Zev knew to expect it, having stood within its field of influence many times. [break][break]

"You can try," he said, taking a seat before it was even offered. "I can't guarantee you will get the answers you seek." Or the ones you like, he added, silently.

TAGS – Cillian Quinn[break]
NOTES – social

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Shimmering blue morphed the landscape in the corner of Zev's eye. Turning his head, he watched as crumbled ruins assembled into prism-like skyscrapers of cool metal and bright neon. Amid the mirage of a reconstructed city, Naomi Sato stood, orchestrating the illusion of his victory. [break][break]

Taking mental note of the Head Scientist's support, he directed his full attention to Cyllora next. They glared daggers at Zev and spat words laced with venom—but not about him. About fern delaney's shiny Tapu Koko. [break][break]

A child? The two Avatars exchanged a wordless, knowing glance. [break][break]

Fighting erupted, as inevitable as the deaths of suns. In the chaos, Velmos found freedom from the Never-Rot's Toxic Chains and subsequent sanctuary in THEO BECKETT's arms. But Zev saw in the purpled veins upon the alien's throat that he was not for long. Using his last strength, he looked upon the Devourer with eyes wide with fear. [break][break]

[break]

Unfortunate, Zev thought with distant apathy. More disappointed by the loss of a potential ally than disturbed by the accusation flung at him with dying breath, he watched the rest of the confrontation unfold. [break][break]

With Pecharunt sent flying and Cyllora defeated, the other Megalopolans retreated into Ultra Megalopolis. A few cast him terrified looks over their shoulders, before they disappeared into shadows cast by the bones of their precious city. [break][break]

There was nothing else to do. Palkia's rumbling roar summoned the once-imprisoned Hoennians home. Zev walked to Neffatari Nzingha's side, starlight eyes lingering on the mask that obscured her face. His own crystalline form remained, his silhouette a void cut into space itself. [break][break]

"Let's go home," he said, in a low voice meant only for her ears. His shard of Necrozma ripped a wormhole into the air and slipped past its rippling edge. Seconds later, Palkia's rift engulfed him and Nenet, sending them and her Pokémon to a Mossdeep steeped in sunset reds and golds.

TAGS – prismatic penitentiary[break]
NOTES[break]
– Zev's status as Necrozma Avatar is VISIBLE FOR ALL TO SEE.[break]
– Zev is FULLY ARMORED: nothing can break through his defense, and things that hit him may take damage on impact.[break]
– Silently acknowledges Nomi's support. Exchanges a knowing look with Fern upon hearing the origin of their shiny Tapu Koko and is unfazed by Velmos' accusation. Disappointed to lose an ally.[break]
– Returns home to Mossdeep with Nenet.

[attr="class","pkmn"]

"Go up. I'll keep it busy." [break][break]

Zev needed no second urging. Using the smoke and shadows as cover, he snuck over to the stairs and headed up. At least Oscar's Genesect was not also employing the stealthy approach; Zev kept track of its location in relation to his own as it searched the first floor. [break][break]

As quickly and silently as he could muster, he dashed up to the second floor. [break][break]

TAGS – oscar clayton Hitoshi Inoue[break]
NOTES – mission

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Each new photo reduced Hawthorne into an emotional mess, at turns swearing vile obscenities and begging them to spare his family. The live video feed, however, broke him. He thrashed against his bonds, screaming through hateful tears. [break][break]

Zev stared at him, unmoved. In fact, he did nothing except wait for the tantrum to end. [break][break]

Finally, after five minutes of cycling through the five stages of grief, the Ranger captain sagged against his bindings. With his head bowed, he explained details of the rebels' plan. Not only that, but he shared his accomplices' names and where Team Rocket could find them. [break][break]

"Thank you for cooperating," Zev said, when Liam Hawthorne fell silent once more. "Once we've rounded up your friends, we'll let you go. For now, you'll wait here before we transport you somewhere else." [break][break]

The assassin gave Dorian a nod of his head, the signal to finish the torture session. Perhaps to Hawthorne, whose expression colored with incredulous belief, it seemed he had been spared. But the signal did not mean it was time for the two Rockets to leave. [break][break]

Instead, it was Dorian's signal to kill their captive, by whatever means he saw fit.

TAGS – dorian westcliff[break]
NOTES – mission (repeat) | Kanto in the past

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Naomi Sato, communicating with the League? That was news to Zev. If Theo knew about it, then her operation must have been sanctioned by the highest ranks of Team Rocket's leadership. [break][break]

Unfortunately, it didn't sound like the Head Scientist was making much headway, if the underboss' comment was any indication. [break][break]

The greater surprise, though, was Theo's suggestion of reaching out to illeana reyes. Memories of their recent clash came to the fore of Zev's mind. Her taunting words. Her fingers twisted in spatial threads to counter his dominion over gravity. [break][break]

Recalling their unresolved conflict left a sour taste in his mouth. His eyes narrowed. [break][break]

"What makes you think Reyes will share information with us?"

TAGS – THEO BECKETT[break]
NOTES – social

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Craning his neck to look up at the Lunala-like Necrozma shard, Zev analyzed his inner landscape to find the answer to Nenet's question. When he couldn't detect any such difference, he reached out his hand to touch the curve of one wing. [break][break]

"Nothing," he said. "At least, not between the two forms." [break][break]

Looking over at Nenet, he continued, "But I did notice a change after the first time it transformed, back in Ultra Crater. I felt energized, as if I had absorbed Lunala's Infinity Energy." [break][break]

The feeling reminded Zev of oscar clayton's experiment with the machine in his laboratory and the Floette he kept caged there. The Rocket Beast's body had been fully rejuvenated, his senses sharpened to a razor's edge. Gone were all the small and mundane aches.

TAGS – Neffatari Nzingha[break]
NOTES – mission

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Zev's search was just as methodical as Hitoshi's, keeping in mind that Oscar, being a scientist, was probably very deliberate in the placement of every object. Each one was either a valuable object or a misdirecting piece of trash. [break][break]

The Rocket Beast worked silently, conscious of not making any excess of noise. Though he and Hitoshi had thirty minutes before Genesect activated, Zev preferred to start the exercise moving with stealth. [break][break]

After all, they did not know if Genesect was listening. [break][break]

TAGS – oscar clayton Hitoshi Inoue[break]
NOTES – mission

[attr="class","pkmn"]

The last time Isaac had tried to attack Zev's eyes, Zev had not been complete. His bond with Necrozma had not been sealed with a full conference of power. [break][break]

Back then, his eyes had been two weak points, vulnerable to injury; the only way to avoid harm was to blind himself temporarily. Back then, Zev had still been human, held back by human frailties. [break][break]

Not anymore. [break][break]

The knife of ice in Isaac's hand slid past the starlight in the gap where fleshy organ would have been. Not long after, its tip smashed against impervious crystal. From Zev's perspective, the weapon slipped past his vision; he felt the impact between his eyes. [break][break]

But there was no pain. No injury. [break][break]

"Good start," said the monster as an unnatural darkness began to rise around them in a perfect dome. It smothered the forest fire and threatened to block out the sunlight. [break][break]

Reaching out a clawed hand, Zev attempted to grab Isaac by the throat. [break][break]

[break]

TAGS – Isaac Merlo[break]
NOTES – social | takes place after this thread

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Initially, Zev had not wanted to film Nenet's study, but he knew the recordings were invaluable to her analysis and research. He begrudgingly agreed, provided she kept the files under encryption. He would not be pleased if either Team Rocket or the League got their hands on information he was not yet willing to reveal. [break][break]

At Nenet's signal, Zev turned to the shard of Necrozma that always accompanied him. A single nod was the only indication he gave to proceed. [break][break]

Light rippled across the shard's body, growing in brilliance until it engulfed the entire creature. He shielded his eyes, feeling instead of seeing the energy bursting outward from it. When he lowered his hand, he saw the shard transformed into its new, recently acquired form. [break][break]

Dawn Wings Necrozma. [break][break]

Turning his head to check that Nenet and her Clefable were fine at their safe distance from the shard, Zev asked his wife, "What do you want us to do first?"

TAGS – Neffatari Nzingha[break]
NOTES – mission

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Lunala had not tried to blast Zev, though. It had tried to blast Nenet. [break][break]

The shard of Necrozma hovered lower until the Avatar could reach out to touch it. Its obsidian body was cool under his palm. Grounding. Familiar. [break][break]

"You fundamentally misunderstand Avatarship if you think I want to fool Necrozma," Zev said, deflecting. [break][break]

Then he turned toward the altar once more, examining the sun symbol and the circular door. [break][break]

"I want to get the altar to react in some way. Stand back." [break][break]

Taking his own advice, he retreated several feet as light rippled across the shard's body. He had no need to tell it what to do. Wrought from the same material, he and it were connected by emotion and thought. [break][break]

Crescent-shaped wings fanned out as Necrozma transformed. Its high-pitched screech pierced the air as it alighted upon the ruined stone. [break][break]

But nothing happened. The altar did not change with it.

TAGS – howard slayte[break]
NOTES – mission (repeat)

[attr="class","pkmn"]

"I'm working with Sato on investigating the RKS machine. She believes we can learn more about the DRK Triad, and possibly draw them out, in the simulations," Zev said, seeing no need to hide that aspect of his machinations from Theo. Naomi Sato may tell him one day, anyway. [break][break]

Zev picked up one of his white pawns, examining it closely. [break][break]

"I want to infiltrate the League, too, to find out what they know. But I haven't found a suitable grunt for the task." [break][break]

The one person he might have considered, Soyeon, had been punished for associating with the League already. He doubted she would put herself in such a risky position again.

TAGS – THEO BECKETT[break]
NOTES – social

[attr="class","pkmn"]