in the air, the gliscor locks up with the salamence. as their winged bodies trapeze through the storm, the bat's pincers glow putrid purples. poisons ooze from daggered hands to draconic claws in the hopes of impairing its foe.[break][break]

similarly, walsh allows illeana to drag him toward the ground. they land on the stone, his pale skin blending in with it.[break][break]

"how unseemly you are." the boss says, eerily calm. eerily still. "is dahlia aware that her head scientist is nothing but a brute?"

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon gliscor"]

the gliscor is swatted. quickly, its wings spread and parachute. a night tarp tucking in salt air. shrieking, the bat dives for the salamence with claws sharpened by revolt.[break][break]

but the boss does not return illeana's aggression. he waltzes backward. strafes to the side at the last possible moment while goading her with his shadow.[break][break]

"will i need to show mine?" the boss taunts. "are you capable enough to push me to such ends?"

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon gliscor"]

the rocket boss' nidoking stomachs the pulse with a pained, fanged groan. its purple carapace seems to roar underneath the battering of war rain—but the towering reptile is still a stuck barnacle compared to a soaring dragon.[break][break]

the kick shoots through the man's leg. like dispersing watercolor, shadows swirl where annalise's shoe plunges through.[break][break]

"who are you talking to?" he asks.[break][break]

his nidoking's horn glows. the needles of POISON STINGS launch like ancient arrows as they attempt to hit their cloud-like mark.[break][break]

"you are alone. remember?"

[attr="class","ooc"] annalise henderson[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon nidoking"]

"just another puppet to restring."[break][break]

the rocket boss' GLISCOR finally swoops toward illeana reyes. its sharp claws crave something soft. a NIGHT SLASH swings for her pale neck like the wave striking sootopolis stone.[break][break]

"show me them."[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon gliscor"]

the question asked is a productive one. still, it is constrained by the limits of mortal understanding.[break][break]

yet the boss is able to grant Tempest Quinn with his closest answer.[break][break]

"to hold stakes in the fate of this region. humans are the driving force of change in this era." not pokemon. [break][break]

the boss eyes the fangs. how sharp they are. he wonders if they've pierced Cillian Quinn's flesh. [break][break]

"that is why darkrai and other legendary pokemon create these covenants with us."[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Tempest Quinn[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon darkrai"]

the shadows slip away. color, however faint, regresses to the office. warm tones. cold tones. all is muddled still as declan remains as waxwork.[break][break]

"i would rather you take a step closer."[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] THEO BECKETT[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon darkrai"]

the dark office's atmosphere is somber and stale. unmoving. dust weighs against the webbing of air and as Naomi Sato states her case, the boss' gaze pierces through the oppressive gossamer.[break][break]

"do tell. what resources do you speak of, head scientist sato?"[break][break]

the shadows darken in quiet corners.[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Naomi Sato[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon darkrai"]

"i am afraid." the rocket boss says. "afraid of how you will misuse your gifts. afraid to witness the wasted potential of a palkia avatar."[break][break]

the GLISCOR soars to a lower perch. its tail claws into the white stone and several crumbs clatter down the crags.[break][break]

"was tapu lele's leaving not warning enough?"[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon gliscor"]

"but you've already lost."[break][break]

the nidoking roars. the cliffside rumbles. an EARTH POWER erupts before the boss' shadow-slick shoes. when the DRAGON PULSE lands against the torrent of clay and sootopolis bone, it gurgles like a drowning child.[break][break]

when the curtain of mud falls, the boss is no where to be seen.[break][break]

but the trick is quick to resolve with his reappearance. from a bouquet of smoke the boss attempts to slam a kick into annalise henderson's side.

[attr="class","ooc"] annalise henderson MATIAS SILPH[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon nidoking"]

the boss need not identify himself. like a chiaroscuro painting, the lightning pulls the dismal curtain for him. he takes a calculated step. descends the white crags slowly as his NIDOKING marches in from the east.[break][break]

"alone, are you? how eager must you be to risk capture again?" walsh says.[break][break]

shadows lick the stone from his clothes. like ink, it drips from his fingers, the nape of his pale neck.

[attr="class","ooc"] annalise henderson[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon nidoking"]

through the rain-beaded veil of storm, the rocket boss appears. shadows coalesce and diffuse at the edges of his coat. his face remains as stoic as the white bluffs rocket calls home.[break][break]

"you are so quick to brandish your powers." the boss says. "are you afraid?"[break][break]

his gliscor stares from a higher perch, its yellow eyes glowing like hell's beacons.

[attr="class","ooc"] illeana reyes[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon gliscor"]

"you've piqued my curiosity."[break][break]

the pane of hierarchy is tapped against. an ascertainment of ranking's shape and existence.[break][break]

"how do you wish to see me?" declan asks.[break][break]

the slightest shadows remain.[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] THEO BECKETT[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon darkrai"]

the boss does not know the answer to the first inquiry.[break][break]

"no."[break][break]

inwardly, walsh wonders if he spoke too swiftly. nothing on his face betrays his dissonance—but nevertheless, the firmness of his answer is evidence of its construction. [break][break]

"we are allies." the boss says. "but i lead and darkrai follows. it does not question me."

[attr="class","ooc"] Tempest Quinn[break]
[attr="class","pokesprite pokemon darkrai"]