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Calpurna sighed as she scrolled through Instagram. The things her children posted seemed so strange. Occasionally, the scientist adjusted the phone screen, trying to keep it in the shadows of the trees above. A brief pause followed as her eyes caught on an old picture from her son’s profile. A small smile tugged at her lips. How had she forgotten he held his hands like that? “I miss him, you know?”
[break][break]
The Purrugly does not look up from the last drops of his treat. His ears, however, are tilted forward. His tail lashes from side to side as he fights the urge to roll his eyes. “Purr.”His voice is full of derision. They knew better than to speak about things like this around one another. Frankly, it gave him indigestion. Eventually, he lifts yellow eyes to meet violet ones.
[break][break]

But the mask is firmly back in place. That little dismissal reminded her of how silly she was being. "Hmph." Crying over missing husbands did as much good as sobbing over spoiled milk. “Let’s go.” Calpurnia’s voice is icy, but not out of any sense of malice. It’s the only way she knows to freeze the hurt. With a look of relief, the pampered cat toddles after her.
[break][break]

As she passes the edge of the seating area, her eyes catch on what look to be rafflesia blooms. With a look of resignation, she tosses a ball at it. Trusting Purrseus to retrieve their test subject, the woman leaves the taste of salty ice cream behind.

NOTES

✦ on the climb to hedgehog

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A flash of flirtatious mischief crawls across her lips. Her mind drifts to bedroom matters, ironic considering that her hands are dusted in someone’s blood. “Certainly not—” While fastidious to a fault, she knew that rebuilding sometimes meant making a mess. “You just have to put your toys away when you’re done.” Which, in all honesty, she was not certain this woman did. If the past did not matter, then there was no reason to scrub up after it. She sighs. “You’ll be surprised what you forget in a few years.”

[break][break]
Again, her Glimmora proved invaluable. Its ability to corrode even steel types proved a lynchpin in that victory. The scientist stares down at her boss’s corpse with pressed lips. It’s almost as if she’s disappointed in the fight he put up. “Must you rummage through his pockets like that? We’re not thieves.” In death, he looked no different than any other person. It was interesting to see his face almost at peace. A heel nudged his sleeve, half expecting him to sit up. “Well, he is a man. It’s silly to expect too much.” Then again, this young lady claimed not to expect anything at all.
[break][break]


The ID barely earns a passing glance. Though, in it, Calpurnia wonders just how old the other man is. “I hope it's worth the effort.” She knew enough about video games to know bosses came with loot. For a moment, the scientist stared at the portal before them. It seems to thrum with an unfamiliar energy. A smile crawls across her lips as curiosity drives her forward.
[break][break]


“Let’s find out, shall we?” Returning her Glimmora to its ball, she and Purrseus push through the rift.

[break][break]

NOTES

✦ Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly.

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Unfortunately, her last foray with Ferny did not end with anything of substance. All she had were more useless laptops and few matching power cords. It seems the computer manufacturers in Megalopis were just as slimy as the ones across the divide. Today’s journey, however, had little to do with pilfering technology. She was much more interested in examining its strange inhabitants.
[break][break]

Today’s portal dropped her off in a different part of the city. It appeared to be residential—a few standalone houses standing between the skyscrapers. It was to one of these she headed first. Unfortunately, it seemed the Megalopans were patrolling. Was there still something worth saving in this place? If so, she wanted to see it.
[break][break]


A hand reached for the knob only to find it stubbornly shut. “Purrseus,” The cat turned to face her. “Be a dear, would you?” With a grumble, he sent the door off its hinges. “This will be a good base, I think.” The woman turned to a nearby bookshelf and lifted a picture frame. In it, a family of blue-skinned people looked back. There was something jarring about seeing the cannibalistic beasts in another setting.

[break][break]

It'd be almost touching if they weren't so ugly.
[break][break]

A smile pulled at her lips as she opened a closet. “Well, well, well.” She sang in a teasing lilt. “Momma was naughty.” She tugged the Ultra Recon suit from its hanger. It still smelled vaguely of detergent. Though the scent—while pleasant—was not something she could place. Halfway through changing, her Purrugly’s head jerked up. The sound of shoes on the steps was audible.
[break][break]
Not caring that her outfit was only partially on, she peered around the doorframe.

NOTES

✦ Ultra Recon squad

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It was rare for Calpurnia to show physical affection. Especially with Pokemon. Touching and groping a partner was one thing, but it was done for control, certainly not out of any sense of attachment.
[break][break]


But, as he finished lapping up his treat, a hand reached out to gently brush the Purrugly’s ears. A vulnerable moment shared between two souls—a temporary slippage of the mask. As quick as it appeared, the hand pulled back. “What a barbarian, Purrsy!” Calpurnia teased with a tremble in her voice. “I didn’t even give you a spoon.” The cat did not look up though he felt her touch and hesitance.
[break][break]

Soon, Calpurnia’s eyes drifted to the forest around them. She watched as a Yanma flittered idly between two trees. A chuckle escaped. Though she did not believe in the tripe, these bugs symbolized all sorts of things to occultists. Horoscopes and such amused her. So did the symbology. The biggest among them was change and agility. Then, there was the story of them being once great dragons felled by silver tongues.
[break][break]


As it vanished, the woman took out her phone. A hand traced the initials carved into the tabletop.

NOTES

✦ Skipping

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Giving the scrawny manchild a chance to dress, Calpurnia turned away. She doubted there was much to see. As she surveyed the blank canvas. the scientist let her mind wander. It turned first to Declan Walsh before sliding to the dangers ahead of them. A few plans ran through her mind, most of them paving the road with bodies. Then, she heard the last button slide into place.
[break][break]

Well, didn’t this slob look better in uniform?
[break][break]


As he made his decision, Calpurnia’s lips curled up in a smile. What a violent little gremlin. It was almost cute. Long nails moved to draw a line down his cheeks. “Good boy,” The woman purred. Not because she wanted blood on her hands, but because it showed he had a spine. His posture just made it all cattywampus.
[break][break]


Then, she turned to the naughties in the cell. Most of them looked embarrassed. A few shuffle their feet like children caught in mud. ““It’s certainly better than rotting in here, hmmm?” A few of them nod. One drops their gaze to a rock on the floor. Her eyes narrow until verbal agreement rings around the cell.

[break][break]

“Purrseus, can you find their things?” With a haughty toss of his head, the cat wandered off. Eventually, he returned with a heavy bag of weapons and belts. She dropped these at the foot of the cell. Then, she tugged the door open. “Do hurry up, loves.” She then tossed out her own Pokeball. From it, a teal Glimmora emerged. Slowly, the other grunts came to stand outside the cage. "I have a PTA meeting to get to."

[break][break]

Sore wrists were massaged as they sorted through piles for their belongings.


“All of you head due North. There is a research camp there that can use your assistance.” Then, she turned to Andrew in his bright uniform. A single, ominous finger leveled at his chest. “Except for you, Mister Fisher.”
[break][break]
unp4g9aN

NOTES

✦ Mommy to the rescue

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A different woman may have slapped Andrew for his lecherous glances. Calpurnia, however, enjoyed them. It was a form of worship, to be so openly admired. Even if it was by an idiotic manchild.[break][break]

Her little prisoners seemed awfully indecisive. A few were whispering nonsense. “Do think about it, loves.” Giving the silly ducks time to think about it, Calpurnia moves to strip their ‘hostage’. There is a brief look of disgust as she reveals dirty boxers. Men could be such pigs. Tsk tsk. The jumpsuit is a bit big on the guard, but it fits well enough. “I think these are the right size for you, hun.” The scientist throws the clothes toward Andrew. [break][break]

Standing up, she opens a nearby cabinet. From it, she pulls out another set of flexicuffs and a took for cutting them. This she uses first on Andrew then on the other Rockets in the cage. “Put them on.” With the League guard now playing the role of another Rocket, Kelpie tugs the cell door open. She stands in the doorway, her Purugly’s dark glance daring a fool to try and run.[break][break]

“Now, loves.” There’s a savage glint in her violet eyes. Her heels splash in a puddle of Paradox goo. “Let’s vote.”

She takes a deep breath. “If you want to do this quietly, raise your hand.” For some reason, an idiot in the back says aye. They really needed to start giving grunts IQ tests. There are ten of them altogether and the split seems pretty even.
[break][break]
“Well, well, it seems it’s up to you, Andy.” Though Kelpe hides her disappointment, Purrseus does not. His tail lashes angrily back and forth.

[break][break]
yc3|5Tpt

NOTES

✦ Mommy to the rescue

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When a perfect opportunity presented itself, only a fool would fail to take advantage of it. And, for all her faults, Calpurnia was not a fool. So, when her Glimmora felled a League officer—who’d been playing a naughty assassin—the scientist took a moment to survey the spoils. The woman still breathed, but the poison coursing through her veins would leave her paralyzed for some time. What truly interested the scientist, however, was the woman’s curves.
[break][break]

Not out of some perverse fascination, of course. Arceus forbid! The woman’s face resembled an Ursaring in lipstick—a razor would balk in fear of it. their sizes were remarkably similar. And, in a place as chaotic as this warzone, every soldier didn’t recognize every leader. “Hmmm.” With a smile, the violet-haired woman began to strip the other woman. Though a bit snug around the breasts, the jacket fit well enough. Only the shoes were an issue, but she had no desire to shove her feet in those things anyway.
[break][break]


An ID card found its way into her hands. A prisoner transfer list did the same—a name or two familiar names standing out. And, with a little sleight of hand, she became Tessa Bowman. Now, all she had to do was play the part of a League officer. Hopefully, it’d allow her to rescue her silly intern before he opened his big mouth. And, of course, she could sample the work of her dearest mortal enemies. Screwing the hat onto her head, the scientist took a moment to admire the look. “Let’s pay our friends a visit, Purrsy.” The cat nodded and fell into line. His cold eyes rather fitting for a mindless dog of war.
[break][break]


Left in a flurry by a recent attack, the group didn’t seem to mind as she strode in. Her manners were confident as always, and the woman looked like she belonged. “Show me to the prisoners I am meant to transfer.” The paperwork was official, so the young Ranger had little issue doing just that. The older lady’s flirting served to fluster him.
[break][break]


He stood at the tent’s exit, making him a very annoying obstacle. One or two faces lit up in recognition. Violet eyes ordered silence as she began calling out names. “Fisher, Andrew?” When she spotted him, her entire demeanor filled with exasperation.
[break][break]


She jerked her head toward the guard. As one of the prisoners grabbed his attention, the scientist gestured to the cat.

[break][break]

A Hypnosis from Purrseus dropped him like a stone. A key from his belt took her to the storage locker. Inside were rows of weapons and Pokemon balls. “Now, loves, we have two options—” Calpurnia purred. “We can slink a few of you out all sanctioned like.” There was a pause as she grabbed what looked to be a pair of scissors. “Or, you can raze the camp to the ground.” The silly Leaguers weren’t expecting an attack from inside, after all.[break][break]



Notably, there was no ‘we’ in that statement. She certainly did not plan on being shot at. No, she aimed to be swept into the camp’s belly by playing the victim.
[break][break]
J1AAbBov

NOTES

✦ Mommy to the rescue

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The scientist watched the elephantine things as they rolled across the grassy landscape. Below them, the interdream mist flows like fog—its colors making it look like something out of a child’s bedtime story. Though she preferred the robotic creatures to their flesh-and-blood counterparts, there was something distasteful in how they moved. Almost arrogant. It made her want to stomp them out. Beside her, a Glimmora floats in the air. Its eyes glow almost hungrily as it stares silently at the Paradox Pokemon. “I wouldn’t be too impressed.”
[break][break]

When Belial speaks, Calpurnia’s spell breaks. No longer is she remembering the wreckage of her city by beasts with so-called empathy? Instead, she is being treated to a delicious bit of eye candy. Full lips perk up slightly at his question. “The last time I checked.” There’s a hint of flirtation to her voice, a little teasing lilt that dangles like bait on a hook. Though it is not her genius that got her so far, merely an ability to connect dots and a possession of charisma many eggheads lack.
[break][break]


His question makes her sigh. “There is still some sort of life in there, I’m afraid.” She gestures her Glimmora toward the herd, its path easy to predict. As she finishes her conversation, the poison type begins to spin like a top. Jagged shards of poisoned stone and crystals fall out behind it. Though not tires in the traditional sense, these spines will slither their way into joints.
[break][break]


“We tried to disassemble a few of the injured ones.” She still felt like she needed a shower to remove the juice they’d left behind. “But—no matter what Frankensteinian method we tried—the darlings refused to get back up.” Though she sighs, it’s hard to see her disappointment. “Still, I wouldn’t let that stop me from trying, hon.”
[break][break]


She recalls the sea of debris above. Thousands of years’ worth of spoilers were destroyed by a single god’s tantrum. “It’s better than tossing them in a scrap heap.” At the very least, the metal itself produced interesting readings.[break][break]
HTA9mmSS

NOTES

✦ Elephants not on parade for very long

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The older woman was surprised to find her ice cream soon salted. This place had been one of the last places her husband had taken her out on a date. She always teased him for his choices, their simplicity beneath her. And, yet, there was a certain charm to enjoying ice cream like two starstruck teenagers. A chuckle emerged from her mouth as she remembered their last visit here.
[break][break]
The joking way her husband had tapped her nose with the tip of his cone. Her flustered irritation as she scolded him. But the scientist did not stop him as he wrapped warm fingers in hers. Then, they’d giggle conspiratorially about their little secret. How both of them decried junk food but snuck away to enjoy ice cream cones in peace. “How the mighty do fall,” Calpurnia murmured to the cat beside her. “This is nothing more than flavored milk."
[break][break]

As she took another swipe at her come, Calpurnia’s eyes caught on a movement in the trees. Her nose wrinkled as she caught metal. A splash of acid hit the ground as the Varoom chugged by, ruining her appetite. “What a disgusting creature." Her observation ended with a plop as she dropped her cone onto a plate beside her companion.
[break][break]

Like all cats, he had no problem lapping it up.

NOTES

✦ Skipping

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There was a delightful little cafe nestled in the outskirts of Petalburg Woods. When she had a hankering for sweets, it more than justified the journey. "Thanks, hun." Now, with an ice cream cone in hand, Calpurnia began looking for a place to sit. [break][break]

Unfortunately, the place was packed. The tables inside were full. Outside, the benches were crowded with people enjoying everything from ice cream to donuts. While certainly shy by no mines, Calpurnia was not in the mood to socialize. She just wanted to devour her guilty pleasures in peace.[break][break]

Following a trail at the back of the establishment, the scientist found a nice little hideaway. Though you could see the parking lot through the trees, it offered a decent level of seclusion. After giving a nibble to Purrseus, she sunk into the old bench's embrace.

NOTES

✦ on the climb to hedgehog

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The feline’s departure received a half-hearted shrug in response. Purrseus would find his way back to her soon enough. There was no need to fret. So, the scientist focused all of her attention on the delightful shirking violet beside her. Which, depending on your point of view, could be a bad thing. With a slightly amused expression, Calpurnia watched Yuina’s face as she explored the stands around them. Though she certainly had opinions, she made no move to interfere or offer an opinion. [break][break]


The point of this was to make sure the little chickadee could assert herself. As they finally made a selection, the scientist turned to face the younger woman. “I think I will have some Takoyaki too. We are at a festival, after all.” Which meant she could indulge herself a little. Though she’d have to remove any evidence of her snack before reuniting with her gremlins. The eldest was a relentless health nut.
[break][break]


“Oh? That sounds lovely (for a bookish wallflower).” Calpurnia replied airily to Yuina’s answer. The job seemed like a perfect place for a little mouse—plenty of places to hide between all the bookshelves. Maybe she made herself a den in one of those newspaper boxes. “I’m not sure I could handle all the dust.” One person stepped out of line in front of them, the relentless crawl forward continuing. “I work in pharmaceuticals.”[break][break]

In a different life, she'd be in sales. Some days, she wondered how she'd ended up in science.[break][break]

Best not to mention the only prescription she typically filled was death. It wouldn’t do to give the kitten a heart attack.

NOTES

✦ Trying to learn who she is