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Lulu's smile was a precious thing, so Nomi savored it, still in awe that the other woman was really standing there.[break][break]
"Despite you? Nonsense," Nomi smiled back, waving her hand dismissively at Lulu's self-deprecating comment. Still hard on herself, Nomi thought. The former Head Scientist had been nothing if not scrupulous with her own work, sometimes to a perfectionistic degree. Perhaps some might say she had a reputation for paranoia and self-inflicted isolation, slow to warm up to people and even slower still to actually trust them. Somehow, Nomi had wormed her way into Lulu's heart.[break][break]
Where to begin with the Unown? Nomi felt like she had acquired several research papers' worth of findings on them in just the past few months.[break][break]
"Well, so, the Unown aren't just mindless cogs in some cosmological wheel," she explained. "Each letter has a personality of its own. I've started to figure out how they emote. Those singular eyes of theirs can actually convey several emotions, depending on how it blinks, narrows, stares, and so forth."[break][break]
Her tone was pleasant; one might even call it affectionate.[break][break]
"They communicate via electro-magnetic radio waves. I've been able to draw them to me using devices that emit such waves." She glanced back at her desk, where she kept one such device in a drawer. "They have their own dimension, as you know. I've been trying to figure out how to gain access to it."

MADE BY GUNSMILE

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[attr="class","itemcolname"]drk triad event

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[attr="class","itemcoltexttit"]HEXENZIRKEL 1-B

[attr="class","itemcoltext"]You decide to attack the white-haired lady. Her colleagues emerge from the shadows too, each partnered with an Unown.[break][break]

Their identities are perpetually masked by moving shadows that are impossible to dispel: an eerie shroud that smothers all light.[break][break]

Eventually, throughout the battle, each of you are struck by an Unown's HIDDEN POWER, causing you to warp away into another location entirely.

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"Die?" Nomi raised an eyebrow. "Don't be dramatic." She waved her hand dismissively, though the corners of her mouth quirked up into a small smile.[break][break]
She liked Kouji Matsubara; sometimes it was a breath of fresh air to work with someone so...direct. But they couldn't continue to serve Rocket if they were dead. Staying alive didn't mean they had to give anything up, though.[break][break]
"That being said, I don't trust them either," she agreed, stepping forward. She snatched a Pokeball from her waist, releasing one of her Unown.[break][break]
"So let's see what happens if we attempt to get rid of them."[break][break]
With a casual wave of her hand, the Unown-A released a blast of HIDDEN POWER directly at the white-haired woman. A pang of anger boiled through Nomi at the sight of that mysterious woman: after all, she was the reason Dr. Holo had escaped Rocket's clutches so many months ago.

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[attr="class","itemcolname"]drk triad event

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[attr="class","itemcoltexttit"]HEXENZIRKEL 1-A

[attr="class","itemcoltext"]You attempt to impress the white-haired lady in order to join the Hexenzirkel. She leaves her seat at the table alongside several other shadowy figures that ascend at the same time. They clap. As they do, several eyes begin to emerge in the darkness, blinking, staring at you:[break][break]

Suddenly, odd voices flood your head: "your pr▉▉e▉ce here is an ano▉▉ly and must not be per▉▉ved. we will h▉de you. we will work in the d▉rk to pre▉s▉rve all things."[break][break]

They begin to surround you with open arms...

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anya fowl had been a Rocket Head Scientist for what seemed like the blink of an eye. Why had she stepped down (or been removed)? Nomi had tried to look into it, but Walsh had locked down her files. Still a loyal Rocket it seemed, allowed to use the facilities and the resources. The mercy of the Rocket boss clung to her like a very specific yet subtle perfume.[break][break]
This was an opportunity to, perhaps, better understand the woman.[break][break]
"Very well," Nomi answered. "I have attacked the witches once, so let us see what happens if we join their little coven."[break][break]
She walked up to the simulated figure resembling the mysterious woman who had plucked Nisa Holo out of her clutches, so many months ago. Nomi stared at her, scrutinizing. The machine featured the DRK Triad as prominently as it did the supposed "deviations" and "abominations" that made Hoenn dangerous. What did that mean, exactly?[break][break]
"We are in the right place, yes," she told the white-haired woman. "We are here to work with you, not against you."[break][break]

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They hadn't been inside the rift for long, but Nomi had to agree with Nenet's assessment. They'd experienced a lot in the past hour - horrific hallucinations, bouts of intense paranoia, and a magnetic beckoning towards some beating organ somewhere much deeper below. It was a logical plan to head back to Hoenn and regroup; should they encounter a paradox or Ultra Beast now, they might not be well-equipped to handle it.[break][break]
"You're right," Nomi replied, nodding. She gathered her things, motioned for Valerian to follow after her, then began to swim back towards the portal entrance. She would spend the rest of day recording data from the outing, and making preparations for a return trip.[break][break]
"I would be happy to accompany you again," Nomi told Nenet as they exited. "It's a pleasure to explore such places - however dangerous - with someone else so scientifically inclined."[break][break]
There was still much to be learned, not only from the Ultra Deep Sea, but from Nenet herself, after all.[break][break]

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[attr="class","itemcolname"]thundurus event

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[attr="class","itemcoltexttit"]THUNDURUS 1-A

[attr="class","itemcoltext"]You attempt to appease the Thundurus in hopes of quelling its anger... and the storm. Somehow, you manage to do so. The clouds part. The lightning subsides. Finally, the crescent moon reveals itself among many twinkling stars.[break][break]

You intuit that the Thundurus appears to be looking for a new landmass to rest in. After casting one last glare, the deity leaves in a blur.

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Another new scenario: a ship making its way across a turbulent sea. The violent waves caused Nomi to immediately pitch forward, and she yelped, grasping frantically onto the ship's railing to keep herself steady. Her stomach churned: she had not spent very much time on boats, and it seemed she was perhaps somewhat less seaworthy than she would have liked to admit.[break][break]
Aurelie called her attention to something above. Nomi's eyes flitted upwards, widening as they took in the Pokémon that emerged from the dark storm clouds, looking none too pleased.[break][break]
"I don't recognize it," Nomi called out to Aurelie over the raging winds. "A God of the storm, it seems." As she said this, a cacophonous crack of thunder sounded right above them, white hot lightning spider-webbing out from the legendary Pokémon's body.[break][break]
They certainly could not fight this thing. Better to try and appease its wishes than suffer some sort of virtual death due to its wrath. Logically, she knew the machine would just spit them out should they "fail", but it would be rather unpleasant to experience such a thing even if it were fake. All of the simulations thus far had felt so real...[break][break]
"Mm, yes, let's see what it wants," Nomi agreed. She bowed her head in supplication, then called out to the creature: "Hello! We come in peace!"[break][break]

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A sudden surge of vigorous energy flowed through Nomi, warming her from within. She looked over her shoulder at bryan delarosa, understanding instinctively that such healing could only come from the Xerneas-blessed, but her eyes widened with anxiety as she saw him doubled over - obviously gravely injured.[break][break]
He will heal, the rational part of her brain assured her. She ripped her gaze away, focusing instead on the Chien-Pao: the primary threat in the room.[break][break]
Thanks to a cleverly timed DROUGHT from BARNABY FINCH's Ninetails, as well as Alpha's HIDDEN POWER, the icy feline was forced to dart right into the path of jayden cross's merciless blades. Slowed, it hissed in rage, the snow around it beginning to melt. Nomi's chest surged with triumph, but any celebration she might have voiced was cut short by a sudden glowing light, so bright it was blinding.[break][break]
Falling to her knees, Nomi shielded her eyes as they re-adjusted. The once-dim cave was now lit by the glow of hundreds of shimmering TERA CRYSTALS, sharp as knives. Nomi gasped, momentarily awed, but then a new wave of HATRED - stronger than the last - washed over her, and she felt her entire body shudder beneath its influence.[break][break]
Cruel laughter echoed through Nomi's mind: Holo's mockery, amplified tenfold. Nomi covered her ears as if to block it out, but it only grew louder.[break][break]
"Foolish girl, you cannot stop the inevitable. You cannot prevent your own doom. You know nothing."[break][break]
How it angered her to not know every detail about the ORIGIN POINT. How it angered her to still be in the dark, to flounder while the DRK Triad succeeded. How it burned through her - a potent fury - that she constantly felt as if she were racing after a foe that had always had a head start, an unfair advantage.[break][break]
Lack of knowledge was her true enemy. Without knowledge, she was powerless.[break][break]
A form coalesced before her, ancient and archaic, the representation of everything she had not yet learned about the universe. An ivory equine creature, ringed in gold, the truth of its nature beyond all human comprehension. Its blood red eyes bored into her, and Nomi felt suddenly exposed: as if it could see right into her heart, able to rip her soul from her body merely by blinking.[break][break]
"Arceus," She breathed. Some part of her knew it wasn't really there - that it couldn't possibly be there - but she didn't care. She launched herself towards it, only to fall forward, bloodied palms grasping at nothing. She screamed in frustration, an agonized sound, tears streaming down her cheeks as she grappled with the weight of her self-loathing.[break][break]
Somewhere nearby, Alpha began to glow a bright orange. It had floated over to one of the massive, intruding TERA CRYSTALS and had started to react to it, as if channeling Nomi's tormented emotions into usable energy. It crystallized, transforming into a TERASTALLIZED FIRE TYPE, then beamed a FIRE TERA BLAST at the impeded Chien-Pao, recognizing that it was attempting to heal itself despite Nomi's preoccupied mind.

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The water went down in one big gulp, and Nomi let out a small moan of relief as it eased the aching of her parched throat and the throbbing behind her temple. She set the empty glass down on top of Parker's dresser, then turned back to regard the Granbull, expression softening further as Parker introduced her.[break][break]
"Hi Maisey," Nomi greeted her officially, tone affectionate. "Sorry to wake you."[break][break]
Maisey merely yawned, shifted slightly - as if anticipating a new presence in the bed - and promptly fell back asleep. Nomi stifled a giggle, then crawled into the bed, drawn to Parker's outstretched arm like a magnet. She snuggled up close to Parker, resting her cheek against the other woman's chest, the top of her head nestled neatly beneath Parker's chin. Waves of cotton candy hair fell across them both, and Nomi closed her eyes, momentarily losing herself in the comforting warmth of Parker's body.[break][break]
"No drugs," she murmured. "I went into the RKS Machine. You remember what it's like, right?"[break][break]
Maybe Parker didn't want to remember. Nomi had mistakenly invited Yumi Hasegawa along for that particular trip, without realizing there was bad blood between the two women. She hadn't questioned Parker about it further; it wasn't her place to force it. If Parker wanted to tell her, she would. The jealous uncertainty that had inspired Nomi to bring Yumi along seemed silly now, a fragile thing that had shattered after the lake.[break][break]
"I went with Isaac," she continued. There was a weight to that choice. Parker would understand. It might even reassure her.[break][break]
"It was all rather routine. Three stages, like it always is. Except...when the final simulation concluded, the machine didn't spit us out. We got stuck." She paused, curling into Parker, twining their legs together. When had she started shivering? "We got stuck because of Holo. She's the DRK Triad agent I interrogated with Lulu after Meteno."

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