[break]

Aurelie seemed reassured, somehow, and confidence among the lower ranks was important for Team Rocket's continued success. Zev shook his head at her question. Though her answers hadn't been sufficient, he believed she'd been honest with him. [break][break]

"No, that's all. Let me know when the order's complete," he said, turning to leave. [break][break]

The air around him and his Zoroark shimmered. By the time the pair reached the door to leave Aurelie's workshop, the earlier illusion that had disguised them had returned. [break][break]

He left the shop the same way he entered, leaving no indication that the known terrorist Zev Harcourt had visited that day.

TAGS – Aurelie Lefevre[break]
NOTES – mission

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The first thing Zev noticed upon waking was the wetness in his eyes. Tears. He could not remember the last time he cried. The only tears he usually experienced were reflexive, caused by automatic bodily functions. [break][break]

And these tears were different, too—bigger, more globular. As they slipped through the gap between his mask and skin, he easily collected them in his cupped hands. Surreptitiously, he slid them onto the desk, on the corner farthest in shadow. [break][break]

Maybe they were nothing. But their unusualness was not lost on Zev, and he knew better than to dismiss the unusual. [break][break]

Days passed. The routine was largely the same, which was a comfort, in a way. The degradation was exasperating but not unfamiliar. Boot camp in the Kanto Army had attempted to inflict the same humiliation onto him, but such techniques required the victim to know and feel shame. [break][break]

Zev did not. [break][break]

So he endured. He did what he could to protect Neffatari Nzingha from the laughing hour and from the feeding pit, suffering in her stead whenever possible. It enraged him when he couldn't, when she was subjected to beatings from the creature in the pit, or when the other prisoners laughed at her. [break][break]

But he knew, too, that intervening too much would put her in a suspicious light. So he continued sleeping on the filthy, cold floor. He even fought with Nenet on occasion, arguing hotly in public about imagined frustrations. But at night, in the dream world, he sought her out to smooth things over. To make sure her sanity and love for him were still intact. [break][break]

A couple more times, Zev peered into the Wellspring Mask. He did not see his own desires again, but others. One was too hazy to make out, but the other was crystal clear. Chains connected him and other Avatars to THEO BECKETT, who was chained, in turn, to the shadows. To Team Rocket, Zev somehow understood. [break][break]

Though he did not know for certain whose desire he'd witnessed, he did not need to know. Theo was already his enemy. Seeing all the Avatars chained to the underboss was the only confirmation Zev needed about the other man's motivations. [break][break]

After seven days, Zev and Nenet had collected plenty of tears between the two of them. His body was covered in yellowed bruises and untreated cuts, and his beard had grown out beneath his mask. The strict diet of mochi had a disastrous effect on his physical strength; exhaustion and hunger were constant companions. [break][break]

Yet he endured. He had to, if they were going to escape. [break][break]

TAGS – Neffatari Nzingha & ugly ward[break]
NOTES[break]
– Zev is in the UGLY WARD.[break]
– MAIN ACTION: COLLECTS TEARS.[break]
– Endures the degradation and humiliation of the daily routine.[break]
– Maintains the façade with Nenet that they have broken up. However, he meets with her in the dream world to make sure they are still good.[break]
– Views Rocket's Avatars chained to Theo in the Wellspring Mask and feels validated about his suspicions regarding Theo's motivations.

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Zev ran a hand over the cabinets of the break room, as if they would reveal something unusual. [break][break]

"I agree with the methods that best suit any given situation," he said. "If that means brute force, then it means brute force. But if that means subterfuge, manipulation, blackmail, or covert assassination, then we use that instead." [break][break]

He opened one of the cabinets. Instead of shelves stocked with cups and plates, he found a window looking out over a burning skyline of Saffron City. The distinct aroma of death and smoke filled his nose. [break][break]

"In that vein, playing to your own strengths is the smartest thing to do. There are specific tools for every task. Pokémon and humans are the same." [break][break]

The wall before Zev crumbled away, though the rest of the room remained. Thick plumes of black smoke reached for a twilit sky. He watched the fires consume the dream-city of Saffron for a long moment, then turned away. [break][break]

"We've been here long enough," he told Ameena. "Unplug us."

TAGS – ameena abadi[break]
NOTES – mission

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Zev listened as Reinier shared their perspective, nodding at their conclusion regarding Littleroot. He felt the same way, especially since the League already had security set up around the rift there into the Mechanical Kingdom. [break][break]

Reinier's thoughts on Pacifidlog earned another agreeable nod from Zev. The only reason it had been included in discussions was because Tempest Quinn's family had influence on the small, waterborne town. As a result, Cillian Quinn had influence over the townsfolk. [break][break]

But in terms of what Pacifidlog could provide as a territory, it was practically worthless. [break][break]

"I agree that Littleroot and Pacifidlog would be a waste of time, at least in terms of immediate expansion," Zev said at last, contemplating the map. [break][break]

"Pacifidlog is all but ours thanks to the influence of Underboss Quinn's husband, but it's too small and doesn't have enough resources to bolster us during the war effort." [break][break]

The Rocket Beast turned his attention to the other two options. [break][break]

"The concern about Dewford is that it's too far away, and we would be spreading ourselves too thin. Meanwhile, the argument against Mossdeep is that it's too close to Ever Grande City and the Pokémon League. What do you think?"

TAGS – Reinier Justice[break]
NOTES – mission (repeat)

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As soon as Zev saw that he and Ameena were in a relatively safe location, he allowed the crystalline shards covering his face to retreat back into his flesh. The rest remained, however; they felt more natural than the skin of his other body. [break][break]

Still, he did not relax. Instead, he slowly paced the perimeter of the break room, looking for anything out of the ordinary. [break][break]

They had been granted a reprieve, but they could not be certain how long it would last. [break][break]

When the scientist voiced her question, however, he glanced over to where she cradled her cup of tea. "Underboss THEO BECKETT is a veteran of the Kanto War and not an Avatar, so his insight might be valuable," Zev said at length. "You might also consider speaking with Beast Shred." [break][break]

He avoided mentioning bryan delarosa. The former Avatar of Xerneas had been elusive ever since that day at Oldale General Hospital.

TAGS – ameena abadi[break]
NOTES – mission

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Clean it? That kind of punishment struck Zev as more degrading and petty than actually punishing. Perhaps that was the point. [break][break]

"Flesh-tubes," he repeated ponderously when Cillian mentioned them. He didn't recall seeing anything like that himself after the Ugly Ward's shower. However, Cillian's comment did bring a different detail to the front of his mind. [break][break]

"There were other masks," Zev said. "After we left the Chamber of Desires, we passed through this room where Megalopolans were assembling three masks using Tera Crystals. They must be the ones we were working on before we were made to play the game." [break][break]

The trust/forsake one, he meant. [break][break]

Zev's hunch that there was much more beneath the surface had grown considerably with the information Cillian revealed. [break][break]

"We should look for the others while we're here," he said to the underboss. "Separately, though. We can cover more ground that way."

TAGS – Cillian Quinn[break]
NOTES – prismatic penitentiary dream world

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The two Pokémon that Diana summoned seemed, at first glance, perfectly advantaged against Zev's own. But the same could be said of the opposite, should he order them to target the other opponent. [break][break]

"Let's begin, then. We battle until one person's team is unable to continue, whether that means they surrender, are knocked unconscious, or are incapacitated by sleep or some other condition." [break][break]

He backed up to one end of the arena, while his Espeon and Ambipom remained close to the center. Then he waited until Diana had taken up a similar position before shouting, "Begin!" [break][break]

At once, his Pokémon leaped forward. The air shimmered in front of both of them as Espeon used REFLECT. Meanwhile, a SHADOW CLAW from Ambipom raked at the Dragapult.

TAGS – Diana Cavendish[break]
NOTES – mission[break]
– Espeon uses REFLECT[break]
– Ambipon uses SHADOW CLAW on Dragapult

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Zev arched an eyebrow at Theo's answer, surprised by the underboss' desire to make amends. He wondered how much of it was a manipulation to appease the most dangerous monster among their ranks, and how much of it was sincere. [break][break]

Then the most unexpected question came out of Theo's mouth as they entered the hospital's elevator. Zev could not help his immediate snort of laughter. [break][break]

"Of course not," he replied, staring pointedly at the other man. And keep her name out of your mouth, he added silently. Instead, he decided to elaborate, in case there was any doubt in Theo's mind: "She chose to be my wife. She belongs to me."

TAGS – THEO BECKETT[break]
NOTES – social

[attr="class","pkmn"]

The invitation to meet Team Rocket's resident psychiatrist did not sit well with Zev. Memories of the extensive psychological testing he'd endured as a teenager, as well as the resulting diagnosis, dredged up lifelong bitterness. The last thing he wanted was to listen to yet another doctor to insult him about his "'illness." [break][break]

Yet he showed up at marcus kotov's office anyway, dressed in casual, unassuming clothing. In the event the man wrote up a report for the upper brass, Zev wanted to make sure it portrayed him in a favorable light. [break][break]

It wouldn't help him at all if Marcus confirmed Zev as the underboss' worst fears. [break][break]

"Dr. Kotov," was all the Beast said in greeting as he shook the other's hand. [break][break]

He lowered himself into the proffered chair, resting one ankle on the opposite knee and draping his arms on the chair's arms in a relaxed manner. The slightest of smiles curled his lips at Marcus' professional politeness, aware that the doctor was already assessing him. [break][break]

It was a smile that did not reach Zev's eyes. [break][break]

"Of course."

TAGS – marcus kotov[break]
NOTES – social

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News of Remiel Calcifet's presence in the prison meant there was a high chance of even more League VIPs in the other wards. Zev guessed that their masks must have remained affixed to their faces for the rest of the day, though, otherwise Cillian would have known more names. [break][break]

"The Chamber is a circular room with a machine in its center. There's a mask on the machine that looks like it's been Terastallized. Velmos said that looking through it would reveal our deepest desires, but…" [break][break]

Zev paused. There was that nagging feeling again. [break][break]

"It wasn't anything I didn't already know." [break][break]

He listened to Cillian's description of the pit, recalling the pulverized corpses that fell through the hole in the center of his ward into a space beneath the floor. "That was your punishment, then?" he asked. "To fight the creature?" [break][break]

Without Pokéballs and Avatar abilities, fighting a Pokémon—even with a large group of people—was extremely dangerous. [break][break]

"How many died?"

TAGS – Cillian Quinn[break]
NOTES – prismatic penitentiary dream world

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Zev did not usually go out in public in Mossdeep without his Zoroark's illusion providing adequate disguise—mostly to avoid drawing attention to Neffatari Nzingha, since she lived and worked there. But if notorious Team Rocket underboss THEO BECKETT was going to show his face, then Zev was, too. [break][break]

He showed up at Mossdeep General Hospital wearing casual, unassuming clothing and a black Kerry cap. "Beckett," he said by way of greeting, his tone even, his expression neutral. He smoothly fell in step beside Theo. "What did you want to meet about?" [break][break]

Zev guessed already that the conversation was not going to touch on more confidential Rocket business. They'd have met somewhere more private if that was the case, like Theo's office.

TAGS – THEO BECKETT[break]
NOTES – social

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Zev's eyes fell upon the symbol Howard mentioned. He nodded, gravely serious. His own excitement was tempered by the memory of his encounter with the DRK Triad in that other universe and the revelations shared with him. [break][break]

"I didn't get a good look at it the last time I was here," he said. He hung back, however, instead gesturing for the other man to take a closer look for himself. "A Tapu Bulu attacked my wife and I when we arrived, and then when she played the flute it left behind after we chased it off, that door opened." [break][break]

He pointed at the large, circular construction high above them. [break][break]

"It summoned a Lunala. The same one that showed up during the Darkest Day." [break][break]

Reports had mentioned Valerio Dachev's appearance and how his Lunala had aided in the fight against Necrozma. Perhaps that was why, despite being injured, the celestial bat became enraged when it laid eyes on Zev.

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

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Though Zev did not need a sword to survive the oncoming lava flow, he snatched the Honedge out of the air anyway. In that dreamscape, her SACRED SWORD cleaved the deluge of fire in two, sparing him the need to endure it. [break][break]

"Of course they're not," he said, tossing aside the Honedge so she could continue fighting on her own terms. "But until we find a way to stop the spread of Tera Crystals and stop Interdream Mist from seeping into our universe, survival is the absolute minimum. If you can't do even that, you're useless to us." [break][break]

The EXPLOSION from the Koffing sent the Groudon reeling backward, roaring in pain and frustration. The injury was not enough to bring it low, but it was enough to buy Zev time. [break][break]

The crystals along his right arm twisted and warped, transforming that limb into a cannon-like armature. As he raised his arm, light gathered at the end of it, cradled in wicked claws of alien design. The brilliant swirl of energy grew and grew, blinding in its brilliance. [break][break]

Zev aimed it at the Groudon, gritted his teeth, and fired. A massive beam of light speared the manifestation of the Continent Pokémon, sending it crashing through the walls of the laboratory. Magma rained down upon the two humans. [break][break]

Perhaps it was because they were in a dream, or perhaps something had changed ever since Zev's encounter with Lunala in Ultra Crater, but he did not feel nearly as exhausted as he normally did after firing his laser. As his arm reverted back to its normal shape, he turned to the nearest wall. [break][break]

A door opened, as if willed by his subconscious. "Through there!" he shouted at Ameena as he raced toward the entryway.

TAGS – ameena abadi[break]
NOTES – mission

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