[attr="class","text"]

"If you're truly interested in experiencing the Interdream Mist yourself, I'd say to take a trip down to Dewford. If you can get past League defenses and into the Ultra Deep Sea, there's a lot of naturally occurring Interdream Mist there." Xenon pauses as she considers the proposal further. "Consider your own mental fortitude beforehand though. Lots of people experience severe hallucinations in that particular area, I've heard some are even driven mad by the experience." Interdream study was not a field for those of weak will, probing the depths of the human psyche and the dream realm carried great mental risk.
[break][break]
It was part of the reason why so many undergrads quit the subject and moved onto something else, it was considered very high risk for very little reward the further you pushed the field. But that was a short sighted view of the subject in her own opinion. Nothing was more important than a strong dream in this world, for those with strong dreams had the clearest views of the future.
[break][break]
Not too long after Ameena pushed her seismic sensor into the ground would she find some odd readings coming up, activity swiftly picking up as underground tremors began to rapidly increase in frequency. Xenon frowns as she looks down at her feet thoughtfully, she couldn't feel the tremors herself, but they were certainly there. Low intensity, very high frequency. "Tell me, how good do you think you are at battling?" Sulfur's head picks up as it turns to the north, it's Quark Drive humming quietly as it widens its stance slightly and lets out a soft electronic grunt.
[break][break]
NzIp85r2

NOTES

✦ ameena abadi

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It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Xenon was rather ecstatic about the crew she had gathered for this impromptu meeting of minds, some much much more interesting than others. Lulu Flint and Amor Rose were very nice additions, being able to present her findings to the people she considered her peers was a nice feather in her cap. Theo Beckett was also a good point in her favor, she was looking to take up position as one of the Head Scientists after all, she wanted to look good for one of the people who made big decisions like that.
[break][break]
But the truly unexpected surprise was Declan Walsh, that man she dueled so many times within the simulated sea inside the RKS System. Only once had she been able to beat him with the assistance of another, but she felt like she knew the man better than most after so many battles with that digital simulacrum of him at the fall of Fuschia City. Having his attention right now pushed this meeting up to maximum importance now, she'd have to be on her best behavior lest she find her wax wings melting and falling from her meteoric rise within Rocket.
[break][break]
Oh and Howard was here too.
[break][break]
"Well then, I suppose we should get right to it before the League figures out all the big shots are here. Last thing I need is some psychotic like MATIAS SILPH catching wind of all of us in one spot and committing a few dozen war crimes in our direction." The mood is definitely tense with the big boss here and watching, but her tongue is as smooth as silk as she throws out a joke and moves to the side of the projector screen.
[break][break]
"Thank you for the map Admin Slayte, feel free to hand it to a grunt and we'll start disseminating the info to our cartography unit. We still don't know just how big this area is, but we'll get to that in a second." Xenon picks up a small remote in her right hand and points to the projector, clicking a button and moving to the first slide displaying an overhead view of the Giant Chasm.
[break][break]
"So first things first, lets set the scene. As you all know, we just got done with an extended fistfight with two Legendary Pokemon at the same time. These kinds of things are bound to alter the land irrevocably, no surprises there, but the last thing I think anyone expected to find was a whole ecosystem buried under the snow for us to find. Now I'm sure we all understand just how impossible it is for an entire functioning ecosystem filled with trees and waterfalls and wide sprawling plains to be directly under the Icelands, especially without anyone noticing until right now. So lets throw out a few theories huh? It's important for us to understand our environment before we can properly exploit it, anyone have any ideas just how the hell this place exists?" She smiles as she looks out to everyone around, even letting her gaze settle on Boss Walsh for a moment to see if he might have any ideas.
[break][break]
"I'll start, my pet theory I've been mulling over is that the Unbound Hoopa had swiped this entire ecosystem from somewhere else in the world, smoothly inserting it into the big hole it and Kyurem made and throwing all the dirt and ice that was here before into the ocean. But that's a devil's proof we should only defer to if we don't have any other ideas, the Legendary Pokemon are strong but if they're that strong then it opens up a very scary can of Orthworms that I don't think anyone wants to confront."

NOTES

✦ THEO BECKETT Lulu Flint declan walsh howard slayte Amor Rose

[attr="class","text"]

"Hmm... well, I suppose I can't reasonably judge that kind of goal. Burning everything down is part of what I want to do after all, even if I have some other stuff that comes after all that." Xenon raises her hand up in a half shrug, as if to say "what can you do?"
[break][break]
"It's better than the other grunts I've had under me at least. I think I might have just left you to die here if you said something like "making money and earning respect," either that or killed you myself. There's no value in climbing to the top of a garbage heap just so you could say you're at the top of the heap."
[break][break]
She laughs as the grunt expresses her annoyance, raising her left hand towards Chlorine's neck and tapping some kind of morse code against the metal with her prosthetic claw. The beasts provide Camellia a bit of space, but not too much as they continue forwards. "Tell me this then, what brought you here to Area Zero? You don't seem like the type to just follow along with what everyone else is doing, what about this place interests you?"

NOTES

✦

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Whether or not anyone specifically heeded Xenon's words, the battle had begun regardless. A veritable wave of Paradox Pokemon crashes into the Iron Swords' guards as they continue slashing and crushing every single Pokemon that emerges from the Tera Crystals, it might seem like an impossible task at first but Xenon knows that even these crystalline constructs that reach into time can only produce so much.
[break][break]
But so much is still very much a lot, dozens of Iron Treads and Sandy Shocks throwing their bodies at Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Chlorine to take up their attention for just a few seconds. These Iron Swords were still pseudo-legendary, they could take this kind of heat without flinching, but even they would have to dedicate their full power to stemming this tide to keep them from getting away.
[break][break]
And that was all the opening that the squadron of Iron Bundles needed as they charge at Xenon from her flank, their metallic claws clanking against the stone floor and grabbing Xenon's attention mid-command. "Shit! Regroup, regroup!" Even as she says it she knows its an impossible ask, if any of them break the frontline then it's just going to leave her open to attack from a stray Iron Treads running her over. It's a good thing she always has a personal guard by her side as Argon bubbles up from her shadow and blasts one of the Iron Bundles with a powerful Hex, but she was still outnumbered by 5 to 1.
[break][break]
qIPeYUmj

NOTES

✦ Eris Halla

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Xenon stops in her tracks and looks back at Shred, an eyebrow raised at the wheezing Beast struggling to keep up with her. "My my, is your stamina this bad with all women? I thought Beasts were supposed to last a little longer~" She giggles as she claps her hands together thrice, grabbing the attention of her beloved Iron Swords as they cease their charge and start meandering back to her side.
[break][break]
Ah, but he was looking pretty beat up still. She had gotten some pretty bad burns herself in the fight against Kyurem and Hoopa, she was just smart enough to have the foresight to bring a healer with her. "Buuuuuuut, I suppose I can chill for just a few minutes. In the meantime, we've got some important stuff to discuss." Sulfur's knees bend as it lowers its body down to the ground, Xenon doesn't even look as she takes a step back and leans against the bulky robot to rest her feet.
[break][break]
"I don't really like talking about the past, but just this one time I feel like it's worth bringing up. You've been helping me with a lot of my personal projects, something that I appreciate in my own unique ways. So I suppose what I'm getting at right now is, what exactly are you looking for in Rocket? I've never really gotten a handle on what your whole... deal, is. Nobody is here just to dedicate themselves to the 'glorious cause of Team Rocket' after all, only the trash tier grunts buy into that garbage."
vt8b9OIL

Shred

NOTES

✦

[attr="class","text"]

A dream? No, this was beyond any dream she could ever have dreamed, this could only be described as Elysium, paradise for those who march onwards towards the bright neon signs.
[break][break]
There were many theories a saner woman could toss out to explain these phenomenon, perhaps it was a machine drawing on the latent desires of those who entered, or it was a gateway to an alternate world, maybe it truly was a portal to the future held within the Violet Book.
[break][break]
But Xenon was blinded by the bright neon lights, she has a manic smile on her face as she walks towards the iron death priming its weapons on her, arms stretched wide open as Rhodium fends off the squadron of Genesect coming for her head. It almost seems like Kouji is talking to nobody but himself as she takes one step after another, but then-
[break][break]
"Designation Iron Brutal. Cease activity, redesignate targets to Genesect Units A through H."
[break][break]
The machine stops, so does she. Its cold obsidian eyes stare down at its creator, meeting the warm gaze of a woman consumed by pride. And then it turns, raises its arms, and opens fire on the pursuing Genesect with ruthless efficiency. "Come Kouji, come! It's time to see what new future awaits!" Xenon spins around the still active tank and gently pats its side, skipping into an opening portal to another world. What a beautiful future awaits. All that she needs to do is make sure she works hard enough for it to come to pass.

Kouji Matsubara

NOTES

✦

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The war tent hums with activity as grunts rush in and out, reports filled with data and calculations are studied and compared, intern scientists collating conflicting results to find what was true about this new world the organization sought to conquer. The topology of the outermost regions of the Great Chasm had been mapped out to some degree, though exact data was somewhat difficult with how much fighting was going on between them, the League, and apparently some third faction that had set up camp? Xenon heard some reports that it was the DRK Triad, but she wouldn't believe anything until at least a week had passed.
[break][break]
At the deepest point within the tent a large table was set up in front of a large white screen, behind the table was a projector hooked up to a small disposable laptop. The primitiveness of the setup irked Xenon, but she could recognize the need to quickly pack up and destroy records should their camp come under attack. She had done much the same to a few League research bases in the past few days.
[break][break]
She was heading the push into Area Zero herself for a number of reasons, the foremost being of course that this new region most closely aligned with her research into Paradox Pokemon. But there were a few other things that caught her attention about the place, things that itched at her brain and needed to be scratched. Hence why she had called such a hasty meeting of Rockets top minds, as well as any other higher ups who might want to sit in and contribute to discussion on their push into the Great Chasm. There was even a special little seat set up for Mr. Declan Walsh if he should choose to show his face here, she had heard there were a few sightings of the shadowy Head of Rocket on the battlefield, whether it be covering escapes with the darkness or ordering in squads of Genesect to carpet bomb the League into a fine mist.
[break][break]
"Alright gang, let's get the boring stuff out of the way first. I'm sure my reputation precedes me at this point, but for those who don't know we'll do this little song and dance. My name is Xenon Civitas Antheil, I work as a scientist for Rocket specializing in Paradox Pokemon, more specifically the subsection of futuristic Paradoxes I have dubbed as Ultramodern Paradox Pokemon. Or just Ultramodern Paradoxes for short. I dabble in research into the Interdream Mist and Tera Crystals due to their association with Paradoxes, but I'm sure some here have much more familiarity with the subject than I. Anyone else like to introduce themselves or otherwise talk about their work within Rocket?" She stands in front of the projector screen with hands folded over her lap, steely eyes keenly observing everyone else who decided to come to the meeting.

NOTES

✦

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Ah, it would seem he was nursing something of a grudge from their first interaction still. The girl mentally reorganizes her talking points in anticipation of increased hostility before responding, crossing her arms behind her back and smiling at the Underboss. "You know, I think we got off to a bad start Mr. Quinn. I hold a bit of respect for you as a scientist, even if archaeology isn't a favored subject of mine. You're clearly an intelligent man, I think anyone would have to be to survive in Rocket for as long as you have." It's not like it was classified knowledge just how long Cillian had been in Rocket for at this point, surviving the transfer from old to new was a feat in and of itself.
[break][break]
The Iron Bundle pushes its pot out in front of it, a stream of frosty air gushing from its opening and freezing over a patch of ground. The mechanical bird flops down onto its belly and begins to slide away, to where one could not say. "I actually have been doing some joint research with Ms. Sato into the RKS System and her Avatar abilities. Power of the Unown is truly some incredible stuff, the ability to alter reality en masse has a lot of potential... but I digress. You said before that I wouldn't get the funding I wanted unless I was a Head Scientist, I can't say I like that but I can adapt."
[break][break]
She steels her eyes as she fully turns to Cillian now. "So I'll be straightforward with you. I think I'm the foremost expert on Paradox Pokemon in Rocket right now, probably the entire world. I want a Head Scientist position related to the research of Paradox Pokemon and production of Paradox Pokemon. Maybe the last time we talked I was some fresh grunt who you could blow off based on status, but at this point in time I've amassed the largest Paradox Pokemon collection within Rocket, as well as heading several research projects on the bleeding edge front of the subject. You can ask Beast Quinn as to the validity of my claims, but I fully believe that if you give me the proper resources to invest into this study then I could be mass producing Paradox Pokemon for Rocket within the year."

NOTES

✦Cillian Quinn

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"It's rather lovely isn't it?" Xenon comments aloud as she stares down into the Great Chasm, idly stroking Sulfur's side while Phosphorus and Chlorine grazed the grass. "We live in an age where we've all but mapped out the whole world, every region known to us intimately. But it's only in Hoenn that the frontier continues to expand, new lands being discovered under our very feet. I think the notion is very romantic, in a classical sense."
[break][break]
She glances over at Lulu with a smile, her eyes are softer than usual as she observes the lands below. "All the same, I've never been a fan of romanticism. The land is meant to be mapped and utilized, romanticism would insist that we instead linger on the past rather than march towards the future." This place... she couldn't say it definitively, but the connections could be made. This place was just like where she saw That Pokemon, the one in the RKS System. The symbol of the future. She was almost certain of it in fact, she just didn't have the evidence to formally say it out loud, otherwise she would be insisting Rocket turn all their resources here.
[break][break]
Nlul7tiq

NOTES

✦ Lulu Flint

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Xenon's head quirks up briefly as she listens out for whatever noise Ameena had heard, before shaking her head and returning her focus to her own numbers she was running. "Nothing important to us for the moment. Infinity Energy readings are up compared to the outside world, might just be the influx of people coming in to study the new environ, only time will tell." She mutters as she types something into a wrist mounted computer.
[break][break]
"Well, I think that the future lies in competing and contrasting perspectives from my own. You're studying Interdream related matters right? My field is pretty close to that, working on the Ultramodern Paradoxes and the artificial production of them. One could say our fields of studies are almost one and the same with how intertwined the two matters seem to be here." Her attention drifts towards her Iron Swords as they graze the grass around their little research base. "Tell me though, what drew you to pooling your research with Rocket? Aside from my little branch of Interdream and Tera Crystal study, I don't think people have been conducting too much research into dreams and the like. It's only within the past month or so that interest in the field exploded when they discovered this place."
[break][break]
Dyw6E99x

NOTES

✦ ameena abadi

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Where one man looks upon Area Zero and sees only the primal past overwriting civilization, another sees the raw unbridled potential of the future. Xenon shoulders her burdens gracefully and records every last inch of what she sees, the species of fauna and flora stretching out far into the horizon, the deep abyss leading to the depths of Area Zero, and of course the various Paradox Pokemon wandering the plains.
[break][break]
And where Kazuya looked quite fresh and uninjured, Xenon and her partners appeared as though they had just finished wading through a warzone. Deep scratches and scars mar the bodies of the Iron Swords flanking her, while Xenon herself had gone through a round of hasty self administered first aid, bandages and gauze wrapped around her extremities, and various scratches and scrapes decorating her face as she walks up to the man of few words. Despite all her injuries through, she was easily even more energized than anyone else within the Great Chasm, purpose and determination steeling her body beyond mortal limits.
[break][break]
"Good, good. Was this the encampment of DRK Triad people we scouted out or the research base the League set up? You know what, doesn't matter, we kill them all either way." Sulfur and Chlorine let out a straight chirping huff in agreement as their Quark Drives pulse with energy, droplets of strange charged fluid leaking from their wounds while Xenon got to work spraying some potion on them.

NOTES

✦ Kazuya Yoshida

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"Good thing you're doing such a good job holding the ladder steady then." Xenon responds offhandedly as she digs around in her backpack, pulling up a large gear and squinting at it. "It's an educated guess. I was observing the topography of the land before we left and judged that it would take about 15 minutes to get from here to the castle riding on a Pokemon. Presumably those Magearna and Volcanion are going there to get something, then they're gonna take another fifteen minutes to get back here, maybe a little longer if what they're carrying is heavy." As she explains this she fits the gear onto an empty peg between two cogs, taking care to keep her fingers clear of interlocking spaces.
[break][break]
And of course it slides cleanly into place with a satisfying click, its brethren on either side ticking clockwise and counterclockwise as a wave of motion erupts through the walls of the clock tower. "More importantly than any of that though, is the fact that we're now on a 45 minute time crunch before every single mechanical guard here swarms the clock tower. I figure 30 minutes to investigate and 15 minutes to make a break for it is more than enough time." Xenon latches her backpack shut once more and slides down the ladder smoothly, brushing the dust off her shirt and stretching her fingers nonchalantly.

NOTES

✦mint frost [break]
✦11 involve a race against time in some way. [break]
✦🗺️ THE METAL GEAR can be used to activate a gate, machine, or any other gear-based mechanism to overcome an obstacle, reactivate a machine or mechanical pokemon, or more.