The explanation is insufficient. [break][break]

It is also enough for her to begin her tirade. But he comes first, so she coordinates his relief with the staff as they deem him fit to leave. He's escorted to her home, a complex that is sanitized to the point it appears more like an open house than a lived-in home. Glasswork and gold accents fill each room, but there are a few small terrariums filling shelves and other displays as proud results of Rosemary Lovelace's fine craftsmanship. [break][break]

Despite him being safe in her space, anxiety gnaws at her. She has to dedicate her time to the kitchen, leaning over a curry, to keep herself busy enough to stop poking at his sleeping form. She's already left her scathing remarks for Howard on her phone. There's nothing else to do but wait.

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – [break]

She had a Montgomery problem. [break][break]

After their public fight in the routes to keep up appearances, she had expected to see him more frequently to help lick wounds and affirm that nothing had changed despite the battle. It was too juvenile to admit aloud, but she felt insecure about getting in the last blow. She didn't want to extend herself past his forgiveness. [break][break]

Days of silence forced her hand. She thought of him too much to hold herself back any longer. She had received no reply after sending an anonymous gift basket to his PD, which was the last straw. Her people hacked into his phone and the results left her calling up a psychic companion to teleport her only minutes later.[break][break]

He had been unconscious upon her entry, giving her a long enough time to let guilt consume her to the point she would sacrifice anything for his forgiveness. [break][break]

She moved to his side as he rasped - before the words even processed in her mind. "Montgomery," her voice thick and urgent, "please, tell me what happened. Was - was this me?" Unown hadn't struck him this hard, had he? Montgomery looked like he was barely walking away from death's door. Had he been jumped afterwards? She had played out a thousand horrific scenarios. [break][break]

Despite her reputable composure, her eyes were already wet.

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – [break]

Daring. She liked that about him, his audacity. It got him into trouble, too, but she could forgive his transgressions. "Until next time, Deputy."[break][break]

Unown was quick on the draw. She pulled back from his lunge while Unown used hidden power to force him back - though the Unown's prowess was enhanced by its shadow power and the strike created a larger impact to blow him backwards than she could have predicted. She gave the pokemon a sharp look before the two of them disappeared into the shadows, leaving a hopefully-not-concussed Montgomery to gather himself and his own thoughts.

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – [1110][break]

Her eyes lit up at the idea. This wasn't something linked to Rocket, so she could afford to reach out to public scholars instead of relying on Rocket scientists. [break][break]

"Brilliant," she praised, bringing him close for a kiss. "If museums do not bore you, we could make a day of it." The ask had come naturally, before her mind could stop her. It was a stupid proposition, and mushy, which she did not do. [break][break]

"I mean," she backpeddled, "I have taken enough of your time. I can visit when I find a moment. No worries about it."

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – [break][break]

Pleasant isn't a common occurrence in Ameena's dreams, but tonight, she's blessed with the rare privilege. Montgomery James and her sit at his farm house, enjoying drinks and each other's company. They discuss battle scars, and she shares the bullet wound in her shoulder from an excursion with Zev Harcourt to kill a military officer who, according to her sleuthing, had had a hand in the murder of her mum. It's not the kindest story, but it's a victory, and she's pleased to revel in it beside him. [break][break]

Things take a more explicit turn, but the focus is more on the overwhelming sense of safety she has in his presence. He's proven himself time and time again to be capable, and it's easy to let her guard down. It shouldn't be, but it is. [break][break]

After indulging, she wraps up in a robe and insists on making a lavender tea for them both. She'll instill an appreciation for a good cuppa in him, come hell or high water. [break][break]

But his bedroom door opens into a library. [break][break]

With Howard. [break][break]

Her dreams rarely transition like this, but there's a heaviness to it that plants the seed of paranoia in her mind. "So much for a good tea," she laments with good humor. "Is there anything worth reading in here?"

TAGS – howard slayte [break]

NOTES – eyepatch on left eye [break]
MERGE FARM?[break]
Dreams of Montgomery -> enters Howard's library[break]
You're all welcome to see whatever you wanna see but I don't wanna hear complaints if you see Montgomery NUDE (my present to you)[break][break]odzab_pr

Bitter blades pierce Corviknight's natural armor enough to ruin her flight path, forcing her to descend to the ground with minimal control. "Arceus," Ameena seethed even as Priam and Razziel gave their all in trying to conquer Zacian and her vessel. "We need more time to win this fight. Time we do not have." [break][break]

With the Toxtricity, Priam's knowledge, and Ameena's elevated toys, they should have been able to win this fight, but Navy's patron was a stronger force than she had expected. They could most certainly win this fight, but they wouldn't win anytime soon. [break][break]

Unfortunately, with the scene they were making, the ticking clock hung over their heads like a guillotine. They'd be overrun with Leaguers as back-up for Navy if they failed to pull back. "We gave our licks," she argued, "but we cannot see this fight through. Not here. Not yet." Taking down the one and only Navy would have been an excellent feather in her cap, but letting him take the three of them down - or worse, in custody - would further the distance between her and her superiors, and she couldn't afford to look like a liability. [break][break]

She hoped the other two would pull out of the fight, but she couldn't force either of them. "Slow her," she ordered, and Cora offered a scary face at Zacian to slow the legendary hound before readying to take flight again.

TAGS – Navy priam conrad Raziel Beckett [break]

NOTES – (Tailwind active)[break]
Corviknight used SCARY FACE on Zacian to slow her down[break]
I hit my event MP cap anyways so FORGET about counting prior posts (420)[break]

A Flutter Mane? "My, you are full of surprises." She would have to be wary of making further assumptions about him. He clearly fought with a wider variety of pokemon than she had given him credit for. She stuck to psychics with a few physical fighters, but largely they all had some psychic prowess outside of Lucario. [break][break]

Unown couldn't duck out of the way in time. The fast shadow ball struck home, causing it to dip towards the ground before it recovered itself. Meanwhile, Ameena spared a glance to her buzzing phone. [break][break]

She had extended herself long enough, here. "Unown, cover." The creature created a domain around the battlefield. Further attacks would be deflected to the walls of the domain. She turned to Montgomery to offer her full attention. "This has been fun, Deputy, but I will have to let you leave with your life."

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – UNOWN: TRANSLATION ERROR | PSYCHIC-TYPE[break]
a small domain forms around the unown where all attacks, including z-moves, deflect. pokemon inside the domain gain a slight increase to evasiveness.[break]
10 MP have your own pokemon use a z-move in your thread.[break][1100][break]

The ruins mattered not to her, where it concerned him, but his resistance was clear. "Very well." Her expression was carefully neutral. [break][break]

The cave didn't seem to run deep. There were engravings on the wall, ones that she imagined would light up with a Draconid presence but remained innate beside them. She kept the flash on her phone as she snapped a few pictures. "I have not seen these symbols online in discussions about this very cave. Other spelunkers might not have gotten this far." Or they had lied about visiting for clout. Mystery forums had an even split of passionate conspirators and fools trying to go viral. [break][break]

"Now, if I could get my hands on a Draconid and run these by them..." But that was a lost cause, at least for now. No one in Rocket had such a connection as far as she could tell.

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – [break][break]

Vi was a reasonable woman. Even with the concession to let the teen run, Ameena relished the expression of fear across his face. [break][break]

Xurkitree continued to loom above, electricity cackling. "Well," Ameena offered slowly, "you heard the woman." It took a moment for the meaning to register. Then, the teen had turned and fled like a blur.[break][break]

It left the spoils to them. [break][break]

The crowd of Unown above were a bit like mothim to a flame, the way they gathered around her shadow Unown. "Take your pick," Ameena offered. "We can claim our own and even establish a stock." The brass would be happy to have a few spare Unown on deck. "And thank you."

TAGS – Violet Fairbanks [break]

NOTES – bond bridge - unown[break][break]

Ameena followed Nomi's train of thought, eager to see where the breadcrumbs would lead them. The z-move could or could not be a lead, given neither knew the origins of its development within the Unown. Unfortunate, but that was the problem with experiments that could not isolate every factor. [break][break]

She held her breath as Nomi explained she'd try something new. [break][break]

The gasp brought a healthy surge of adrenaline to Ameena, panic and concern clouding her judgement. "What is it?" She reached out a hand as if to catch Nomi, should the woman faint, but she caught the reaction before she could commit to it. She didn't want to suggest she found the other researcher incapable... but she also didn't want to be in the room if something inexplicable and devastating happened to such a valued Rocket asset, either.

TAGS – Naomi Sato [break]

NOTES – [break][break]

Ameena fought the urge to reveal herself. [break][break]

Rocket's long-term plan with this prisoner were unclear, at least to her. Petalburg was theirs already, so why bother chaining this Captain? The decision was above her, of course. Her angle was to gather League intel or something of value to her dream research. [break][break]

She couldn't be clear, however, how much Shalin had encountered toxic chains. Such a detail would give greater context to the presence of Fezandipiti - the warden she still hated - but she wasn't prepared to interrogate just yet. The mask would do a great deal to protect her identity, but what would she ask first? The dreams so far were more power fantasy than working through fear or guilt or shame, as she had expected, but if powerlessness was the source of these emotions, then perhaps...

TAGS – Shalin Nariya [break]

NOTES – [break][break]

She hadn't expected them to continue at all. [break][break]

The mystery wasn't worth whatever had come over him. Still, she felt pointing out as much might make him feel defensive. He had nothing to prove to her, but arguing to stop on the expedition could position him to feel otherwise. She had been trying to see things from his perspective before acting, so as to avoid situations like the overwhelming gift-giving. She approached him with more thought than she engaged anyone else with. [break][break]

"I think we have seen all the ghostly activity that resides in this cave," she offered instead. "The moon was just at its highest point. Perhaps, that is a guiding force for the visuals."

TAGS – Montgomery James [break]

NOTES – [break][break]