She was moving forward out of habit, staggering forward. He'd told her to go and she was going. The single-minded focus made it easy. She wasn't sure she could manage two things at once, though part of her was still panicking at the thought of civilians on the scene, of witnesses. [break][break]

Minutes or hours later, Montgomery was at her side. She nearly sobbed with relief. "Can't... don't have Gardevoir here." She'd kill for a heal pulse right about now. But that pokemon was sitting KO'd until she could get it under control. "Need to limit... eyes on this." What would a CEO be doing out here with a Musharna? She supposed it wasn't the most damning set up, but she didn't want to be injured in the public eye. Worse still, this could easily end up in newspapers, in online articles.[break][break]

Those publications loved to stir up public panic about new monsters and give the people a known face to demonstrate victimhood. She didn't want to look like a failure in front of him.

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – [break][break]

Maki's description of the dream is unusual. Often, people are overwhelmed in the dreams that bother them. The absence of obstacle, by her description, makes her wonder about the underlying desire or fear that guides Maki's unease. The Penitentiary had pulled from desire for many, but others dreamed of fearful scenarios. In the aftermath, it was almost entirely so. How could one not be horrified at how quickly some of the region's strongest forces were abducted, chained, abused? [break][break]

"Revisiting the dream can offer closure." She releases Musharna. Closure is sometimes all that is needed for the mind to rest. Other times, the mind is a growlithe with a bone, and it won't release such upsetting visages until it has investigated the problem to its core. Musharna releases a dreamy terrain that fills the room with pink mist. "This mist does not pull from your conscious mind, so try to keep a clear head." [break][break]

She herself does her best to clear her mind of any thoughts. The half-sleep state overtakes her, making her eyelids heavy as she watches for shapes to form in the mist, for Maki's creations to fill the room and show them what she might've missed the first time around.

TAGS – MAKI YUKIMURA [break]

NOTES – musharna's dream mist spreads throughout the area and creates a DREAMY TERRAIN. those caught in this terrain and stuck between sleep and wakefulness, and that that they dream of manifests in semi-visible hallucinations in the mist for all to see.[break][break]

"Eve," she echoed, stretching the name out. "I will do my best to be a good shepherd through the RKS, though - " Her warning is cut off with the voice of god that fills the room. [break][break]

She recognizes the name and freezes. The DRK triad and the Megalopolans are both deeply interesting parties at play in Hoenn's landscape, but they're both dangerous. She has no interest in encountering these understudied enemies, not here. The playing field can never be in their favor in the simulation. [break][break]

She breaks the device in her hands. "There are outside parties involved in the simulation. We do not understand enough about the details to be safe." It's ominous, she knows, but she feels watched more than she ever has in the simulation. It feels like durants crawling on her skin. "The simulation is about to drift into a new scene. You may feel vertigo."

TAGS – Evelyn Vespera [break]

NOTES – destroy it[break][break]

[attr="class","itemcolicon"]

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

[attr="class","lgdcol"]

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

[attr="class","itemcoltext"]Together, you eventually find the necessary parts and painstakingly repair the device. After a little while, a voice rings out from the machine. It's like a walkie-talkie: "maldacena here. are you having fun? isn't the simulated universe fascinating? however, i'd be careful if i were you. you never know who's watching!"[break][break]

Regardless of your level of familiarity with this member of the DRK Triad, it does not make what they say any less unsettling.

What the fuck was he talking about? [break][break]

Petalburg had taken a greater toll on him than she'd initially assessed. She knew her way around a metaphor, but what did the aerodactyl pen have to do with...? [break][break]

His self-assessment of his failures also threw her for a loop. It was like they were having two different conversations, but she didn't know Howard to be that lost in himself. What was the star? June? Regirock? Regice? It could be related to symptoms of the study, the obsessive qualities. She couldn't be sure without more observation, and she got the distinct impression that Howard didn't want to spend more time with her than absolutely necessary. [break][break]

Be ready. Wasn't that the greatest challenge in Hoenn? You had to spend every second holding your breath and anticipating the next disaster or act of divine intervention. She, like everyone else, had no choice but to be ready. As ready as possible. [break][break]

"Of course."

TAGS – howard slayte [break]

NOTES - [break][break]

The request is... cute. [break][break]

"Consider it done." Gwen gets more comfortable in the best while Ameena's already plotting what to bring. The Ranger didn't ask for it, but she's also going to bring some Galarian pastries. [break][break]

---

She returns with bags of food. Admittedly, it's overkill. But she can't bear to let Gwen go without. Galarian cheese-and-berry pastries, two different burgers since she didn't know Gwen's preference, fries, and several slices of baguette in case she needed it for her stomach. The other bag holds a triple chocolate cake - an entire one, not just a slice - and some pre-sliced fruit and a platter of chef's choice sushi. [break][break]

Overkill, indeed. [break][break]

She begins unpacking it on Gwen's emptiest bedside table, laying food items out like an extravagant but mismatched charcuterie board. All the while, she regales her audience with a tale about a mix-up with Corviknight taxis to help keep Gwen's mind off of the war and the loss.

TAGS – Gwendolyn Conway [break]

NOTES – post first wave[break][break]

For what it's worth, the fact that her throat isn't currently slit is something she must attribute to Tempest Quinn 's advice to not encounter Cillian alone. There are countless Sootopolis refugees around them, though none are invested in their chat. She's a woman with many flaws, but she knows when it's time to face the music, so she turns to him without hesitation. She must look a little defeated, but she keeps her chin up. It's beneath her to cower, not that it would save her. [break][break]

"And I with you," she says, waving off the attention of her Lucario who no doubt senses the danger she's in. She's going to spill her guts about the experiment in full, all that she knows of it; this late in the game, she's compiled every piece of the study and its faulty initiation - barring the complete data from the dreams themselves. She had preferred to address things with him when she had everything together, but the data was too corrupted to offer up.[break][break]

She's not sure if it's better to spill or to let his questions guide the conversation. There's so much problem to discuss, that she decides to lead with the solution. "I discovered a fix for the symptoms. I can restore what was taken without the need to be unconscious. I presume you have felt an absence, yes?" More abstract than just 'missing time' as one would in a fugue state, the forgotten - suppressed - memory from the dream is a broader negative space. Hard to pin down, hard to construct a timeline. Memory isn't linear. But that inescapable sensation of something missing, something forgotten... it must be like an itch that can't be scratched. [break][break]

Is it appropriate to ask his specific symptoms? They're already well past 'appropriate' - have been since June, since the study - but inquiring feels intimate. She's not earned that. At the end of the day, whether he struggles with hallucinations or nightmares or obsessive qualities, it doesn't change the solution. It only impacts the urgency.

TAGS – Cillian Quinn [break]

NOTES – [break][break]

She didn't twitch under his intense gaze, but she did take it as a very bad sign that she was on the receiving end of his rank twice in short succession. Had they been discussing anything other than her realm of expertise, she would have been squirming. But she held confidence in this area like nothing else, despite how much was unknown. That that was known, she knew, incontrovertibly. [break][break]

Unfortunately. "Memory is not the same as dreams. The practice of manipulating it is, in its entirety, guesswork. Neuroscience nor psychic-type abuse can guarantee any kind of result." But he wasn't asking for a guarantee. "My understanding is that we have few options."[break][break]

She counted them out on her fingers. "Telepathic interference: traumatic, but the most direct. Revisiting the sleep study in near-identical conditions: a hail Mary built on the concept of 'retracing your footsteps' - but at least it would stimulate the exact same parts of the brain. And entering a state of plurality... which is letting the subconscious have free reign while you're conscious, rather than unconscious." It was not perfect. "This method relies on the concept of triggering buried memories by stimulating the senses."[break][break]

The move wasn't designed for this purpose. It was meant to inhibit others. It was meant to offer quick glances into someone's dreams without needing them fully asleep and in the REM cycle. Triggering memories? One participant remembering and one forgetting? This was all terribly theoretical. "In my opinion, it is the best path. But for you, you, this is the most dangerous." [break][break]

"Telepathic interference would only risk her psyche. The sleep study would keep all the thoughts in your head confined to that shared dreamscape, so any intel shared would not only be inadmissible but also rendered foggy in the waking world afterwards. This?" She shook her head. "This risks you sharing far more than you want her to see me, or me to see, or yourself to see. This terrain pulls from your deepest desires and fears and experiences." How could anyone be worth that? Someone who didn't remember you, at that.

TAGS – howard slayte [break]

NOTES - [break][break]

She wouldn't have put it at headquarters if he'd demanded it. She needed to keep distance from the reality of her studies until she had made peace with every Rocket participant. [break][break]

"Anywhere, really." The smaller the space, the less room to play with the projections, but bigger was not necessarily better. "My office is spacious enough for it." Matias' dreams had unfolded there. Her space was comfortable enough for people to calm down and clear their mind without making them feel vulnerable. [break][break]

She pointedly avoided mentioning her laboratory. "Somewhere you can clear your mind will work best. Outside, inside, irrelevant. Darkness will obscure the projections in the mist, so I would avoid those scenarios. Otherwise," she offered with a flourish of her hands, "Musharna can perform anywhere." [break][break]

Then, she leaned in, more serious than before. "I cannot control what you project, Howard. You could try, but it would be largely futile. This is sharing your deepest thoughts while you are awake and compelled to answer for them. I can try other methods to restore her memory, if you do not want the risk." He could give up Rocket secrets. More than that, he could sacrifice his own.[break][break]

She obviously spent too much time in the minds of others, but ultimately, she did believe the mind was everyone's only guaranteed sanctuary. None of her psychic pokemon got to read her mind besides her Gardevoir, and she never allowed it to use telepathy on others. She stayed in the subconscious realm, not the conscious, but the semi-waking state was... it was easy to get confused. In her opinion, it was riskier than the sleep study.

TAGS – howard slayte [break]

NOTES - [break][break]

He wanted to protect June. She wasn't sure what to make of that, yet.[break][break]

"I can open up the terrain and access your subconscious through it, but she will need to be there to witness what visages project into the mist. Her proximity opens up her mind automatically. There is no way around it, as the dreamy terrain has a wide radius." That, and placing June by Howard when the Musharna's technique hits would help his mind revisit that shared dream. [break][break]

She emphasized her coming point with various hand gestures. "The terrain operates off of the subconscious, keep in mind. You can think anything, but ultimately, what gets projected is what stimulates the sleeping portion of your mind. Part of you is awake and part is asleep; the waking portion has minimal influence on the sleeping." Theoretically, that halfway state could accelerate the learning/absorbing information process in the brain, but she had not bothered to test it. [break][break]

"That is all to say that, given the nature of the study, your subconscious responds to hers in a very specific way - outside of any prior connection. She needs to be there. Close." She thought of Matias, whose subconscious had not gone to his study partner immediately but to another woman altogether. "If she keeps her mind clear, she should not conjure much of anything in the mist." Of course, she'd eat Howard's hat if June generated nothing, but she wasn't interested in laying out just how unlikely his goals were for this experiment. June would absolutely be impacted by witnessing it, and her mind would inevitably interact with the mist when given the opportunity to rejoin his in the dreamscape. [break][break]

The other question nearly brought a smile to her face, though she knew he would see no humor in it. She split the difference between obedience and teasing him by offering the barest true answer. "My transcripts of each dream are incomplete."

TAGS – howard slayte [break]

NOTES - [break][break]

She had to keep her reactions largely to herself. She was desensitized to the violence that caused amputations and was unbothered by Gwen's form, but the reasons it happened made her fight a lip curl. She was horrified the League was so improperly staffed and organized that they allowed this to happen. Rangers were designed for emergencies, and where had their triage services been? [break][break]

Whatever. She could not take the argument up meaningfully without being hypocritical, and no one would listen to her anyhow. [break][break]

"Think nothing of it," she assured as she hugged Gwen back. "This is what you deserve. One day, you will believe that." She intended to spoil her when she had the opportunity. She wanted Gwen to see what kind of luxury was out there for her if she'd only reach for it. Gwen had humble sights, but Ameena would teach her to want the world - and to demand it. [break][break]

She pulled back and assessed Gwen's state again. "I have no intention of taking up much of your time and disturbing your rest or healing, but is there anything else I can do for you before I leave?"

TAGS – Gwendolyn Conway [break]

NOTES – post first wave[break][break]

Throwing her shoulder out was one of her more common injuries; it didn't help that it was her left, which also had her most recent gunshot wound - though it had had plenty of time to heal. She was stiff as a board every time she had to tend to that shoulder because of its history of injury. Thankfully, she didn't tense this time, relaxing under his fingers even when she knew to expect pain.[break][break]

What a spell he had cast on her. She didn't even dodge the kiss despite being in public.[break][break]

"No EMS," she argued back, but it was weak, and she found herself going in the direction he assigned regardless. She didn't want to flee the battle, especially without Musharna, but she did it anyways. Her alibi could survive being out here and survive being attacked by the noble beast, but she would have to consider her explanation for her civilian self being here anyways, in case she needed it. And her thoughts were working against her.[break][break]

She turned to watch Musharna return to her pokeball. The beast was fighting hard but it was clearly losing, and that made a surge of pride bloom in her chest. The delirium from the pain was quickly overtaking it, though. Her shoulder was handled enough, but the rib and difficulty breathing... she wasn't sure what she'd say to a medic, what she might blabber. That panic rose in her throat like vile. "No, no, no..."

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – [break][break]

She heard Montgomery's voice and laughed. Blood loss playing tricks on her, that was cruel. [break][break]

Her gaze fell on his approaching form, and the panic on his face reset her priorities. She'd been sure this was a hallucination, but she wouldn't have imagined him looking so... scared. [break][break]

"Hey." She aimed for casual, but the wet coughs betrayed her. Her hand came away bloodied. Fuck, her broken rib was doing numbers on her. The noble Ursaluna's outraged roar filled the air as it charged at the illusion. Ameena took shallow breaths, injured in too many ways to properly take inventory of mid-fight.[break][break]

One thing at a time. "Pop my shoulder back in, will you?" Romantic. Then, "Don't get close to it. It launches people like a motherf-" More coughs interrupted her advice.

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – [break][break]