Zev peered into the box, perplexed by the intricacies of its innards but expressing none of his confusion on his face. At least the pyramid in the center looked familiar, reminding him of Z-crystals. [break][break]

"Have you seen anything like it before?" he asked Oscar, looking up. [break][break]

At that moment, Chandelure uttered a low warning chime as he sensed an intrusive presence on the floor. [break][break]

Zev glanced at his Pokémon before looking back at Oscar. In mere seconds, he had calculated the cost of staying in dangerous territory versus retreating back to the relative safety of their own world. [break][break]

"We should head back to Hoenn. Grab what you need to study the machines in your lab."[break][break]

Black crystals spread across Zev's skin in preparation for their defense.

TAGS – oscar clayton[break]
NOTES – mission (repeat)

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The hand that hauled Zev from the water possessed a strength born from adrenaline and desperation. Only when he was fully on the Celesteela did he recognize Nenet's outfit and voice; only then did he allow himself a slight reprieve against her body. [break][break]

Slowly, the crystals relinquished their protective hold on his cells, returning them to their normal state. He watched the green Dynergy barrier shatter with calculating blue eyes. [break][break]

Some ancient instinct deep within him knew the light was healing. Sure enough, Necrozma stole some into itself, recovering from the grievous wounds inflicted by Melody Miro and her Meloetta. [break][break]

Then, having seen what it needed to see, the great abomination ripped a hole in the fabric of reality. But before it departed, it cast a long look at Palkia, its thoughts indecipherable even to its Avatar. [break][break]

Aboard Nenet's Celesteela, Zev observed the reemergence of Sootopolis land from the retreating seawater. Primal Kyogre, seemingly pacified, released both freya morningstar and declan walsh. The Rocket Boss' voice resonated over the comms: "Stand down." [break][break]

Words were not enough to quell the rage within Zev at losing Mossdeep. These Primal Beasts—Kyogre and Rayquaza—had forced him to abandon his plans there. One day, they would pay. [break][break]

In blood and soul.

TAGS – Neffatari Nzingha illeana reyes freya morningstar[break]
NOTES[break]
– Zev is FULLY ARMORED: nothing can break through his defense, and things that hit him may take damage on impact.[break]
– Necrozma leaves, satisfied, but not before acknowledging Palkia.[break]
– Zev is still mad about losing Mossdeep and blames Kyogre (and to a lesser extent, Rayquaza and the League) for the change in plans.

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DRACO METEOR and DRAGON PULSE raced to absorb the impact of Zev’s attack on the crater rim. Necrozma spared them the briefest glance, prism eyes glowing with psychic power. The comets summoned by ollie morales’s Dragonite crumbled into ineffectual dust, and the shockwave blasted by Caleb Harcourt’s Mega Lapras dissipated harmlessly on the air. [break][break]

The minor distraction was enough to put Zev in Kyogre’s line of fire. An ORIGIN PULSE smashed into the Devourer, sending him hurtling toward watery depths. He hit the water with great force, his armor protecting him from injury, before disappearing beneath the waves. [break][break]

Inside his body, organs dependent on life-giving oxygen crystallized into alien metal. When he raised his face toward the turbulent surface, cold starlight swirled where eyes had been moments before. [break][break]

With all his strength, he swam for the surface as the ocean around him began to recede. [break][break]

TAGS – Neffatari Nzingha[break]
NOTES[break]
– Zev is at LOCATION F-4. He is FULLY ARMORED: nothing can break through his defense, and things that hit him may take damage on impact.[break]
– Necrozma nullifies DRACO METEOR from Ollie's Dragonite and DRAGON PULSE from Caleb's Mega Lapras.[break]
– Zev is hit by Kyogre's ORIGIN PULSE and tumbles into the ocean. His body fully crystallizes to protect him from drowning.[break]
– Zev swims back to the surface as the water begins to recede.

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Was something off about Monroe? Zev did not think so, but he did not perceive the world in the same way other humans did. In fact, they undoubtedly thought the same thing of him, even back in Kanto. [break][break]

As for Monroe having an ulterior motive, that much was obvious to Zev. But instead of confirming Bryan's suspicions, he said, "It's wise not to trust others easily. Our organization is full of self-serving types, and people should prove to us that they're worth our trust. So we'll just have to see the results of Kanto's aid." [break][break]

The general was confident, though, that victory was theirs. [break][break]

Zev moved to wake up his laptop. "Was there anything else?" he asked, glancing over at Bryan.

TAGS – bryan delarosa[break]
NOTES – social

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Zev winced as Melody Miro's resonating SCREAM, amplified by the Sinistea's Z-MOVE, blasted his eardrums. He recoiled from the woman, his pain mirrored by his patron as the Meloetta's ALLURING VOICE struck Necrozma. Its alien screech shook the very air. [break][break]

Voices crackled over Zev's comms device. Faint and muffled at first, they grew in volume and clarity as the bones in his skull crystallized to protect his hearing. Mark Cunningham's came through as he reported on Ever Grande City. But Zev was too preoccupied with the Top Champion and her nearby allies to bother looking in the capital's direction. [break][break]

Then the darkness of Necrozma's void vanished, replaced with a resurgence of HEAVY RAIN and lightning. An earth-shaking roar drowned out all other sounds as the sea level rose with tremendous speed. Zev spared a glance over his shoulder and caught sight of Primal Kyogre ascending toward the skies. [break][break]

declan walsh's voice came next, demanding Team Rocket's mobilization to stop the leviathan. But only when Neffatari Nzingha warned her husband of the growing League presence at their location did Zev make a choice. [break][break]

"We'll take care of it," he said over comms. As Nenet and her Celesteela made their getaway with a final METAL SOUND, Zev willed the crystals of his right arm to transform into a familiar, cannon-shaped armature. Energy gathered at the claw-like end, blinding in its brilliance. [break][break]

He pointed it at the ground in the center of the clustered League personnel, released gravity's hold on his body, and fired. [break][break]

[break]

The searing beam of light tore through stone, crumbling the rim of the crater on which they stood. At the same time, it launched him into the air toward Kyogre. As the laser dispersed, Zev twisted to face the enormous whale, keeping himself aloft above the churning waves. [break][break]

Necrozma! he willed, though he didn't need to. His patron was already turning toward the Sea Basin Pokémon, charging up the signature attack that heralded the destruction of universes. [break][break]

PRISMATIC LASER sliced through the air, a deadly beam of light aimed straight for Kyogre. [break][break]

TAGS – Neffatari Nzingha Melody Miro robin coello Yujin Ha Yuina Higashi ollie morales lam logan[break]
NOTES[break]
– Zev is at LOCATION F-4. He is FULLY ARMORED: nothing can break through his defense, and things that hit him may take damage on impact.[break]
– Zev is hurt by Melody's Avatar power, which causes him to flinch.[break]
– Acknowledges the command given by Walsh to contain Kyogre. He uses his LASER BEAM (1 of 2 uses) to destroy the crater rim where he, Melody, Robin, Yujin, Yuina, Ollie, and Lam are standing. The force of the attack launches him into the air toward location F-4 and he hangs out there in midair.[break]
– Necrozma uses PRISMATIC LASER on Kyogre.

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Zev committed the names to memory, a few of them familiar, some unknown. [break][break]

"Delaney offered to assist with the defense of Sootopolis, and I imagine Cross won't want to be far from him. The pair are an effective team." [break][break]

No doubt made more effective by their personal relationship. Couples in Team Rocket tended to have a higher success rate when paired together on a mission, provided their interactions were positive. Cillian and Tempest were another example. [break][break]

The briefest thought of bringing Neffatari Nzingha with him to Mossdeep crossed Zev's mind, but he dismissed it immediately. She didn't even know about his promotion yet. In fact, he doubted she cared. [break][break]

"I'll set up a meeting for the first stage of our planning. First, though, I need to pay a visit to all our departments. I want a big picture understanding of where we are in terms of resources and projects." [break][break]

The general cast another assessing glance around the empty space. "And set up my office, too."

TAGS – Cillian Quinn[break]
NOTES – social

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Oscar's claim, given with a scientist's confidence, that humans did not have Infinity Energy earned him a stare from Zev. A stare that peeled away the physical plane of flesh and bone to reveal the energetic layer underneath, swirling with that which Oscar denied. [break][break]

It would not do to have the man be so deluded, not when Zev needed his brilliant mind. [break][break]

"That's not true," said the Devourer, pinning the scientist with his cold blue gaze. "I can sense Infinity Energy, and there are four living sources of it in this room." [break][break]

Silence expanded in the space between them as he let the implication sink in. Then Zev looked back out through the doorway, resuming his role as sentinel. [break][break]

"There are generators at the top of this tower that use light from the Z-crystals scattered all over the place, but that kind of light doesn't last long," he mused aloud. His Chandelure swayed idly nearby, causing the violet light of its flames to shift hypnotically. [break][break]

"If the Megalopolans built those generators to replace the sun they lost, they still need a more consistent energy source than a handful of Z-crystals. They would need an enormous amount, fed into the generators at a consistent rate."

TAGS – oscar clayton[break]
NOTES – mission (repeat)

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Zev's hands stilled on the laptop keyboard. Loss was inevitable in war, and he'd run the numbers. But simulations could not account for variances that occurred in real life. Mistakes made by lesser men could skew the real numbers higher than desired. [break][break]

"Approximately two percent of our troops, including the supplemental soldiers from Kanto," he replied, looking over at Theo. "We can also expect that another two percent will suffer injuries that prevent them from participating in subsequent battles." [break][break]

He resumed typing. [break][break]

"The loss rate will be higher for Pokémon—about five percent—but we have many more reserves of those than we do humans, so I'm not concerned about that."

TAGS – THEO BECKETT[break]
NOTES – social

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Zev remained silent while the other three conversed. His senses were on high alert, keen eyes sliding from shadow to shadow to watch for dangers. Though he normally took the most direct route to the tower, Ameena's and Nenet's lack of powers meant the safe route was better, even if it was longer. [break][break]

Eventually, they reached the base of the structure. A few corpses stretched out on the stairs leading up to the doors: Megalopolans completely covered in black crystal, as if consumed by a parasite. Zev stepped over them without a second thought. [break][break]

"We're going straight up to the top," he explained for the scientists' benefit. "There, I'll summon Necrozma so it can transport us to the rocky world we saw through the rifts. We think that's where we'll find the shiny Tapu Lele." [break][break]

Miraculously, the elevator was working that day. Zev pressed the button for the roof, and the carriage lurched upward.

TAGS – fern delaney Neffatari Nzingha ameena abadi[break]
NOTES – rocky world expedition | set pre-war

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A final nod from Zev followed Tempest's confirmation regarding both Yveltal. As much as the war effort benefited from another Legendary on their side, it was far too risky to split the organization's time and resources chasing it down. Their current arsenal had to do. [break][break]

"You may," the general said, dismissing the Beast. [break][break]

He did not bother watching Tempest leave, already focusing his attention on the other man's email from earlier. Nor did he bother glancing up when the door to his office closed with a click.

TAGS – Tempest Quinn[break]
NOTES – social

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Zev spotted the musical bars fired from the high cliffs of Sootopolis as BARNABY FINCH's report crackled in his earpiece. The Dyna Tree caught fire at once, searing flames jumping high into the air at once. Below, the waters electrified, transforming the area into dangerous terrain. [break][break]

Thankfully, the WIDE GUARD protected those near the tree from harm, but Zev did not know how long it would last. [break][break]

"Get back on Celesteela," he ordered Neffatari Nzingha. Black crystal swept over him, transforming him from a man into a monster. "There are multiple hostiles up on that cliff. We're taking them out." [break][break]

Without waiting for her response, he freed himself from gravity's pull and slammed two pillars of crystal into the ground, launching himself high into the air, angled in the direction of the strange, musical attack. [break][break]

As he soared high over the water, he watched as Rayquaza plummeted into the sea. Triumphant satisfaction washed through Zev. With even greater arrogance than before, he set his sights on the small group of women watching from a safe distance. Instantly, he recognized Melody Miro and the Ranger girl (robin coello) he'd fought on the resurfaced island, but not the third woman (Yujin Ha). [break][break]

Zev slowed to a stop in midair before them, now fully encased in crystalline armor. Cold blue eyes regarded each one in turn before settling on the Top Champion. Infinity Energy surged through her, bearing a similar signature to the Pokémon at her side. [break][break]

She's an Avatar, he realized. [break][break]

"Miro!" the God General shouted over the din of the storm, his voice carrying an undercurrent of alien reverb. "You're mine!" [break][break]

Zev descended like a meteor. The ground shook with his landing next to Melody. Pivoting toward her, he lashed out with a dark tendril, razor-edged tips seeking to tear flesh and spill blood. [break][break]

Meanwhile, Necrozma raised its prism-like head toward the sky. Torrential rain beat against its colossal body, a mountain of metal looming over the craterous island. Its eyes flashed with brilliant light as it drew from the deep well of its power. [break][break]

[break]

[break]

TAGS – Neffatari Nzingha Melody Miro robin coello Yujin Ha[break]
NOTES[break]
– Zev is at LOCATION H-4. He is FULLY ARMORED: nothing can break through his defense, and things that hit him may take damage on impact.[break]
– Orders Nenet to get on her Celesteela and help him take out Melody, Robin, and Yujin.[break]
– Launches himself halfway across the crater to reach H-4.[break]
– Realizes that Melody is an Avatar now and targets her specifically (also she's the Top Champion and he's the God General). He attacks her with his crystalline tendrils.[break]
– Necrozma uses Z-MOVE: DARKNESS THAT COVERS THE WORLD.

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As soon as Grigori said to start the van, Zev turned the key and revved the engine. The alleyway brightened with illumination from the headlights. A long moment later, the door to the Pokémon Center burst open and the van sagged as Grigori climbed into the back. [break][break]

Zev did not wait for the slam of the door. He slammed his foot on the gas and peeled away from the building, down the side street and onto the main boulevard. With all the driving skill he possessed, he sped toward Petalburg's slums. There, they would ditch the van and set it on fire before going their separate ways. [break][break]

In the distance, sirens wailed. An orange glow brightened the night sky as a blazing inferno gorged itself on wood and plaster.

TAGS – Grigori Sokolov[break]
NOTES – mission

[attr="class","pkmn"]

There was no "Bob Inoue" in S.P.E.C.T.R.A., so Zev guessed Tempest meant Hitoshi Inoue, though the general could not fathom why the Beast would use that nickname. A blank stare was all Tempest received from Zev until the younger man explained his task. [break][break]

Recognition entered Zev's face as soon as Tempest mentioned Yveltal. "I agree with Boss Walsh. It's important to retrieve Yveltal, but it won't be easy." [break][break]

Lunala was the same: a valuable prize not yet reacquired by Team Rocket. At least Zev's encounter with it had not been wholly unsuccessful. [break][break]

"I'll send you that list after we achieve victories at Petalburg and Mossdeep. It'd be premature to choose agents for your task force before the war begins."

TAGS – Tempest Quinn[break]
NOTES – social

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