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Whatever complaints the Kantonian man had, Fern ignored them. This was not his turf, after all. And it was his jurisdiction to do as he pleased. And apart from that, they had thought the Kantonian branch to be a brutal sort. Surely a few measly DRAGON DARTS were not so terrifying.[break][break]
Instead, they paid attention to the Leaguer, a hand raising to press against their cheek. “The Charlatan, of course.” Unmasked, undisguised. “I would not criticize solidarity if I were to show up on a boat alone.” They shrugged, unbothered before the chase took them out of ear shot.[break][break]
Tapu Koko rushed away from the crackling ELECTRO BALL, looping up into the air before it tucked into a dive. It sailed past Fern, and then climbed back up to circle him. Once, twice. It reached with the prong of its shield to poke at the admin’s shoulder. As if designating him as it in a game of tag before zipping away again.[break][break]
No doubt to continue drawing the brighter Tapu Koko into more of a chase.[break][break]
It was no small prod, though. The jolt traveled through him—not in a painful way. Electricity had not affected Fern since the moment their bond was forged. No, this was a different jolt that rushed through him. The influx of power, alive and stimulating, traveled through their nerves.[break][break]
They flexed their hands, confused as to what that meant.[break][break]
But it was no time to fool around and experiment. Or perhaps….maybe they could. Two birds, one stone.[break][break]
More lightning split down from the clouds, striking at the ocean as thunder continued to rumble. Lounder and tremulous as they drew closer to the center. Their arms stretched out, balancing on the back of their dragapult as they welcomed the onslaught of the storm upon them.[break][break]
Fern grinned as a basculegion rushed into view below them, the man perched upon its back as the ocean sprayed up around them from the force of their speed. “So glad of you to join us,” they called down, something sharp clawing its way through the playfulness of his tone. “Things are about to get tempestuous, I think.” Another peal of thunder echoed his claim.[break][break]
Flashes of lightning illuminated them as their dragapult hissed. The flare of red eyes came seconds before pulses of umbral energy erupted from the seas around Thomas and his basculegion. The SHADOW RAVE twisting and forming the water into uneven spikes.[break][break]
Tapu Koko soaked up the feral currents of the storm as well, AGILITY increasing as it raced across the darkened skies—drawing close to its contorted mirror image before dodging out of reach once again.[break][break]




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Thomas Benoit[break]
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It grew rather personal, rather fast. Perhaps this man was from Kanto? It must've been so. Fern watched him circle the deck as their operative moved forward to engage. And how pitiful it was to seem him disarmed relatively quick. Would vengeance get the best of him? Fern leaned forward, but furious eyes turned upward, and locked onto a shadowy doppelganger.[break][break]
“It seems we’ve been noticed,” they hummed, eyes cutting toward Tapu Koko, “no thanks to any stealth on your part, I’m sure.” But the deity cared little for the reprimand. Its attention remained fixed on the other Tapu Koko, noting its building fury. It spun around Fern as they drifted downward—lower from their original vantage, though they remained high enough out of reach.[break][break]
Electricity crackled around them, crawling along their patron’s pincers and forking from its body. Fern paid it no mind—they were at home in the lightning, immune to the charge. “As much as I was enjoying the theater of your little drama, I’m afraid that’ll be quite enough.” Their voice was a croon as they looked down upon Thomas.[break][break]
His dragapult’s tongue flicked, restless agitation evident in the dart of her glowing red eyes. Unpredictability etched itself in the twitch of her claws and the lash of her tail— “On second thought,” the admin continued, perching a hand under their chin in pronounced thought, “Perhaps you should finish the job. Embrace your violence.” Fern grinned, his expression sharp and goading.
It was easy to flip from one side to the other, dancing a knife’s edge, even as the grunt looked up at him in outrage—an angered cry of “Who’s side are you on?” Drifting up to his ears.[break][break]
He laughed, waving a hand. “My side, of course.” But his grin only widened. He waited for that last flicker, any hesitation from the League operative before his dragapult jerked downward, a volley of frenzied DRAGON DARTS torpedoing downward to separate him from the man he sought to kill.[break][break]
“It’s all about the timing,” they complained before another laugh crawled up their throat, “And I do so like a game. This one does too, and I think it has something in mind.”[break][break]
A nod toward the Tapu Koko sent it flashing away. But not before an ELECTRO BALL grew between the halves of its mask and exploded outward toward its counterpart. A not-so-harmless game of catch, or an invitation to meet it out over the water.[break][break]
Though they could have easily summoned a storm of their own, it was quickly deemed unnecessary.[break][break]
The boat rocked as a rumble of thunder spread over the ocean. The waters lashed, but Fern embraced the Titan’s threat. As the clouds overhead darkened, flashes of light illuminated the soft curves of cumulonimbus in gloomy shades of gray and violet.[break][break]
“Do keep up~” Fern winked, before shooting straight toward the open water in attempt to catch up with their companion. “Turn the boat, keep close to the city,” he spoke into the comms as the remaining capable members of the fleet scrambled, “do not abandon the line of defense, but prepare yourselves for Kyogre’s arrival.”
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It was easy to feel a sense of omnipotence in watching from their vantage above. They were removed from the deck, and so held a measure of control. It would be one thing to intervene immediately. To espouse their cause and assure that the operative would go no further. They would hold Sootopolis for the glory of Rocket.[break][break]
They could do so, but it would be no more than The Charlatan playing his games. Setting the stage for a performance that was no more than that. Fern was not there for their loyalty. Sootopolis was their home. Their livelihood had been built up in the stone streets. Their sanctuary under threat, their home with jayden cross. And self-preservation above all else demanded defense, whether against the League or Kyogre’s rampage.[break][break]
But the more erratic part of Fern called for chaos just as strongly.[break][break]
A desire to see what could be pulled apart at the seams for the simple sake of it. To delight in watching it all fall apart…so long as they remained unaffected by such destruction, of course.[break][break]
However, curiosity held Fern in place, chin propped in their hand as they leaned against his dragapult. Medb’s tail lashed, but years of practice in balancing on the backs of these spectral dragons had made them accustomed to the jostling movements, no matter how much antsier the shadowed beast was.[break][break]
It took little time for the man to be spotted– it was natural for the forces under their jurisdiction to move into immediate action. A brow raised curiously, and they fixated on some of the Kantonian fleet. Fern Delaney wasn’t terribly familiar with Thomas Benoit despite his status as a senior member within the League itself. But it certainly seemed as though many of the grunts knew exactly who they were dealing with.[break][break]
Still, it made no matter. It would be a quick distraction, and nothing more.[break][break]
The array of light from emerging pokemon lit up from around the ship, but they did not move until the confirmation sounded in the comms at their ears. “Proceed.” Their go ahead, flippant and almost bored in tone. It would be quick work, they were certain.[break][break]
And then–[break][break]
And then the slight shift of a table turning.[break][break]
Their eyes glossed over the Iron Crown, then the Ceruledge. But the third prompted the admin to perk, sitting upright and at attention. “Well, well…” they muttered, glance darting to their own Tapu Koko–who had fixed its attention on the emerging Tapu Koko with intense scrutiny.[break][break]
“It looks like your friend is back.” Their patron remained inscrutable as it studied their brightened mirror’s movement. They hadn’t encountered it in some time–not since they’d dropped in on CIAN MAHER and kyle lopez training with it. “It looks stronger.”[break][break]
Suddenly, this was not nearly as boring as it had been before. But it did not seem that the man tearing through his force was the same as The Charlatan–ungifted with the League Tapu Koko’s blessing. Perhaps the spirit was much less obliging than their own.[break][break]
“Don’t be shy,” they spoke into the communication channel again, pressing the piece to his ear as the order fell to spur forward those who had not yet been knocked away by the combined efforts of the man’s pokemon. “Press forward. Do not yield.” It would be the prompting that the Kantonian studying Thomas Benoit would need.[break][break]
That little push over the edge into malice and bitter vengeance for the sake of what had been lost at the hands of a haunting Wraith.[break][break]
The man stepped forward, ahead of the rest. A snarling mightyena at his side.[break][break]

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Thomas Benoit[break]
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From the back of their dragapult, Fern watched as the Kantonian forces mingled with the array of grunts spared from their Hoenn forces. They paced the decks of the boat, waiting for something to happen—for orders to be issued, for something greater to stir in the deep.[break][break]
Further out at sea, the sky above began to darken into an ugly, stormy shade. Though they could have brought lightning down, the ominous rumbles were not of their own creation. Somewhere below the surface, Kyogre raged. They figured it was only a matter of time now before it breached the surface again, erratic and vengeful.[break][break]
Medb darted through the air, agitated as she’d ever been since she’d been corrupted into the shadowed version of herself. Despite her ferality, she still allowed Fern the ability to sit atop her back, and they leaned forward and rested their elbows on the flat fin of her head. A piteous sigh slipped free.[break][break]
They were on the cusp of something. Why was it that everything in the before was so boring?[break][break]
Until—[break][break]
“Oh? What’s this?” they murmured aloud at the sight of someone climbing up over the rail of the ship. “He thinks himself awfully stealthy, doesn’t he?” Electricity crackled from Tapu Koko’s pincers as it slashed at the air. “Oh, tosh. Let’s see what he tries to do first, no? Then we can have our fun.”[break][break]
Irritably, Tapu Koko zipped away and back as their dragapult drifted up over the ship’s prow again.

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They weren’t sure they had the standing to ask questions of Necrozma in the same manner that Zev so openly did. Fern watched, head canted to the side.[break][break]
There was a level of regard between patron and avatar. Of course, they understood as much. However, even their tie with Tapu Koko seemed so…miniscule in comparison to this. Necrozma was so vast– what was it like to have something so unending choose you?[break][break]
Fern thought that, if it were them, there would not be anything of them left. Swallowed whole in the darkness of Necrozma’s everything.[break][break]
Maybe that was the source of Tapu Koko’s agitation. It had been plucked from the vine, and feared being called back.[break][break]
Eventually they did add to the questions, “Are there more like Tapu Koko?” Their mind drifted back to the Tapu Bulu that was still drifting through the city now. The other tucked away in the depths of the Ultra Crater. But were those, or it, a part of some collective whole that spawned from Necrozma’s whims?[break][break]
Or was it yet another disconnection from Tapu Koko’s natural kin?[break][break]
Something eager stole over them then–insatiable curiosity as Tapu Koko’s pacing slowed and it came to hover alongside them. As if it too was anxious to know the inner workings of Necrozma’s will, no matter how independent it had been created to behave.


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Despite their comment, Fern’s face scrunched up and then they laughed. “No, not particularly,” they trilled in response, their own lightness masking their true weariness. The soul deep sort that they’d rather no one but themself glimpse.[break][break]
Piety seemed a futile endeavor among the likes of them. And beyond that, piety was boring.[break][break]
They nodded, understanding. “How dutifully we all cope with these experiences,” they remarked dryly. They shook their head. Just like durants, the lot of them. Marching back to work in the wake of something devastating.[break][break]
Perhaps because it was the only thing to do.[break][break]
“You heard him, Pigeon. Have at it.” They grinned, watching as Tapu Koko launched higher into the air, pleased with the revelation. The heliolisk knew enough to respond to the click of Fern’s tongue—an ELECTRIC TERRAIN zinging to life along the ground.
But Tapu Koko’s eyes had narrowed on the Iron Crown’s LEERING gaze. Lulled, it refrained from attack, and instead darted from end to end of the room. A blur of increasing AGILITY—taunting the metal beast into attempting to catch it.

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Fern wove overhead as they attempted to dodge the wrath of the sea beast. “Got it!” they confirm, nodding to themself as Mint coaxed his lapras into song. “Careful now, Ceci. Don't get lulled too.” The dragapult snorted, offended at the suggestion.[break][break]
“On our way!” Wheeling around, the dragapult darted downward at a steep angle. Sweeping in to meet Mint where he flagged them from the shore of the sandbar. “Better scoot!” Fern chimed, wind whipping hair into their face as Kyogre unleashed another bellow. Its gaping jaws split apart again as bright light gathered with steadily rapid force.[break][break]
A mirthful laugh at the threat of danger tumbled from Fern’s mouth, though. “I don’t think it liked our parting gift.” Cecilia turned, her own maw unhinging to counter with the glow of a burgeoning SOLAR BEAM in case Gnocchi didn’t port them away in time.

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It wasn’t often that Fern sought out the breakroom. Not at this particular hour, anyway. Perhaps when the day was high and there was paperwork to avoid by engaging in pointless chatter with whoever they could corner at one of the tables.[break][break]
Now, though, it was unnervingly quiet along the halls of the sub as they paced the hollow path. Only the click of their boots rose in the air. Not even Tapu Koko dogged their heels.[break][break]
Since their return from that present, their patron had been restless and prone to constant movement. More so than usual. They had been more agitated than usual.[break][break]
The gnaw in their stomach indicated that they could no longer avoid eating, but they’d left the tin they’d made at home by mistake.[break][break]
And home was the last place they wished to be.[break][break]
Home meant sharp words and walking the line of a knife’s edge. It meant the inevitable of another outburst. The storm was inside of them. All thunder roll and words that were meant to lance through jayden cross like lightning flash.[break][break]
There were moments when they thought they could see the forks of their impact fanning over his skin. A pattern of lightning flowers from the words they spoke. Fractal webbing in lichtenberg figure.[break][break]
Fern couldn’t bear to see the result of their unkindness and resentment. But neither could they relent. So, they stubbornly stayed away, and hoped some grunt’s abandoned lunch would tide them over while they slept on the cramped couch of their office.[break][break]
What they didn’t anticipate was the burble of the coffee pot as it percolated. They froze in the doorway, hand scraping down their face as panic clawed their throat at the idea that their fight had found them even here.[break][break]
But green eyes met theirs instead, and Fern’s head tilted in confusion as they took in Elisabeth Fiorelli. As harrowed, perhaps, as themself. “Then we would both be under the same assumption,” they replied as they forced themself into movement. “I would not have expected to see you here at this hour, Elisabeth.”[break][break]
Normally, they would have committed to Fiorelli as they usually did. But in the moment they felt a certain vulnerability, and did not care to be alone in it. Formality gone to the wayside in favor of familiarity, sparse as it may have been.[break][break]
The private disappointment in wishing for someone else, however, was not shared. Fern only felt relief.

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Elisabeth Fiorelli

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“Well then I will take your word for it.” Fern had no reason to doubt the certainty that Zev spoke with. They’d not encountered the truest form of Necrozma. They were not privy to the inner workings of its mind and motives. Though they were curious as to how deep its connection with Zev ran. Was it woven through the man now as a unified tether? Or was he only a vessel?[break][break]
It was more than a bit beyond them, though they were bound to find out.[break][break]
Their head tilted back further to observe the sky. The glitter of stars stretched high and far above them in a seemingly limitless expanse. Where did this space end, and their world’s began?[break][break]
Agitation spurred Tapu Koko into more frantic movement. Electricity pulsed from the guardian, a crackling flare that bathed the rooftop in golden glow. But Fern’s attention had fixed on the reason for Tapu Koko’s sudden frenzy. Crystallization engulfed the Beast–a precursor of what came next.[break][break]
There was no way to fully comprehend the way Necrozma pulled the fabric of space apart at its seams. Fern could only stare, mouth parted on a breath that fell somewhere between wonder and mute fascination. Their head tilted as the vastness of the Destroyer itself engulfed their vision. It swallowed all of the above, so there was only below.[break][break]
Another pulse of electricity flowed from Tapu Koko though it only crawled over the surface of the building, rather than any sort of attack. It was antsy and deferential at once. Contrarian in the way Fern had always known it to be. The light caught on Necrozma’s prismatic gaze, bathing them in the glow of a spectrum of color. [break][break]
The echo of its language hummed through the admin, though there was no way for them to understand what it said. But they knew it spoke. Could feel it down in the marrow of their bones as they were all shrouded in dark. For once, their proclivity toward snappy quips was silenced. Only a stray glance made its way toward Zev as he communed with the one who had made him its Devourer.

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a quiet ah of understanding followed, and silently they studied her quiet contemplation. "do you have ideas as to what it might be that's causing such massive shortages?"[break][break]
fern supposed there were studies in which he could read such hypothesizing, but they were not terrible scientific. which, of course, made endeavors such as these vastly more difficult.[break][break]
a wry grin pulled across their mouth. "save us? are you so certain of that?" it sounded far more noble than it likely was.[break][break]
all of it was calamitous, no matter the intention.[break][break]
tapu koko caught the poipole's eye and its head tilted curiously. it watched the smaller creature and then flit about it with quick, zigzagging movements.[break][break]
"just the two, yes." fern shook their head. "but it is not confirmed as to whether or not they are separate entities. that is something i am hoping to figure out more about today. if we're lucky."

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they find it difficult to speak about their da, even with jayden. fern trusts him, but they have always held their cards closer to their chest than anyone ever realizes.[break][break]
they are bright and sociable. feeding just enough information to those around them to satiate the need - never realizing that they actually don't know much about fern at all.[break][break]
but the dream mist visions haunt them and fern can't outrun them. especially not when jayden was there, witness to it all.[break][break]
fern sighs, their eyes falling shut. "i miss him all of the time." their sweet, gentle da, who they are convinced they will only ever disappoint and let down.

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