She was intrigued by the other woman's ready access to tera. It made Ameena wonder how accessible they really were, and if Aurelie kept it for combat value or some other motivation. She hoped for the opportunity to see it in action, but it'd be more impactful if she had knowledge of how Aurelie's pokemon acted and performed without such boons. More than combat value, she wondered about behavioral shifts...[break][break]

She broke from her thoughts as Aurelie mentioned metalsmithing. Her desire to have new materials was good news for Ameena. She could offer Aurelie resources in exchange for future favors, though she would have to make sure she had something worth the metalsmith's interest. Ameena collected metaphysical data and resources far more often than anything physical. [break][break]

She flinched as Aurelie touched the shocking web. "Such an odd place for them to nest." Darkness was one thing, but these areas were chaotic and prone to earthquakes or huge rockfalls. No bug should feel safe enough. Still, she smiled at Aurelie's fiery pokemon and let her Espathra take the lead on her own behalf. The psychic type helped with the destruction of the web with dazzling gleam to avoid touching it herself. [break][break]

While their pokemon worked, she turned her attention back to Aurelie, gaze resting on her hand to assess if the injury would be long-lasting. She followed with a different curiosity. "About what you said previously, these crystals appearing overnight, almost like tumors. What do you think causes such strange and energy-laden growths in Hoenn? This does not happen anywhere else on the globe, as far as I am aware." She considered the downsides of oversharing for just a moment before adding: "I came to Hoenn for these oddities. But often, I am told it is just an idiosyncrasy. Is that what you believe?"

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"That is quite the collection." She was intrigued by their recollection of their team's personalities. Ameena had never encouraged individualism in her pokemon, though Edith had a notable sadistic streak that seemed innate. Her other pokemon were not out and about often enough to demonstrate such features. Honedge probably had the most opportunity to do so, but she was a loyal pokemon as all the Honedge given to her family over the generations were. [break][break]

Her expression matched Makoto's -- the two of them were stunned for a solid moment in the face of the ditto's voice. Ameena couldn't help the visceral fear that filled her. Were they the test subjects and not the researchers? [break][break]

"The simulations are not always like this, right?" She wanted to thoroughly explore them, but perhaps not at the cost of her sanity. When the door appeared, she gladly looped her arm around theirs. "We should hurry." She didn't want the ditto-thing to say anything else to them. [break][break]

Edith visibly wanted to peck at it, but Ameena whistled sharply to get her to fall in line with their escape.

TAGS – Makoto Kurumi [break]
NOTES – Leave[break][break]

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Ameena had been assigned several rounds of exploration of the chasm, though it was largely through volunteering. She was eager to see the energy readings, and while Rocket had countless successful and remarkable scientists, it was a habit of hers to ensure the best results by doing the dirty work herself. She had a bag on her back filled with scanners and assessors, though one device that looked like a laser radar was around her Espathra's neck, as Edith would get the best readings in the air.[break][break]

She was pleased that her assigned partner for this run was cutting to the chase. "I have everything we need." She pulled the bag around and opened it to reveal gloves that absorbed small amounts of energy for readings. The rate of absorption would tell them how strong these raw crystals were and how much energy they were able to output. [break][break]

"Is this your first trip down to the caves?" She made light conversation as she pulled out a pair for her partner and one for herself. "I had never even touched a tera crystal before this chasm opened." She couldn't help the awe in her voice. She was eager to see what these could do for her research, even if she wasn't sure that tera energy translated well to her projects. Psychic tera crystals would be her best bet.[break][break]

TAGS – Kazuya Yoshida [break]
NOTES – [break]Sg|sU124[break][break]

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This really did sound too good to be true. As Mon- Lulu put down the Rocket card, things started clicking into place. She had not realized how extensive Rocket was here, but they clearly had resources and minds. If someone like Lulu was with them, they were capable of providing support for research, which would accelerate her projects... If they asked for her in the field or to weaponize her research, those were small prices to pay for progress. [break][break]

Her mind was made even before she grabbed the card. And Lulu's request was so simple... Ameena would be stupid not to accept. This offer was something she could have only ever dreamed up before today. And if she knew anything, it was that she had to gamble on dreams. Everything was riding on them, more than she might even know. [break][break]

"You have it. It will be such a relief to have a partner invested in the dream world." She was eager to get her hands on the neurotechnology in this protected lab Lulu spoke of. Neurobiology was not her specialty, but it was an excellent avenue for exploration. "It is in a transitory stage right now, but the next time you're by, let me show you my basement lab. I will have something interesting for you, I am sure."

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She was unfamiliar with the Rocket she was paired with to defend Research Station Echo, but the woman carried herself with confidence. "Ready to head down?" She assessed the other woman. [break][break]

The earth shook violently; the two of them would easily hear the sound of metal screeching. "There is our cue!" Her partner's response was no longer relevant. Ameena hurried down the narrow tunnel, stepping carefully but quickly. She was familiar with all kinds of terrains after her military career in Galar, but she couldn't help the extra caution given the strangeness of the chasm. [break][break]

The research station was a series of tents with sensitive technology currently screaming from the environmental abuse and the onslaught from paradox pokemon. "These guys are everywhere." It felt like she was seeing nothing but paradox pokemon lately. An iron boulder shook the earth again, disrupting the scientists and scouts at RSE. [break][break]

"Get him, Edith." Her Espathra followed the command, flying past her to hit the ground pokemon with a shrill cry, her disarming voice disorienting the lug. "There are more coming," she warned her partner as several other paradox pokemon came forward.

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"Did you hear that?" [break][break]

She tilted her head to listen, but the sound did not repeat. It had been some kind of odd cry. Likely a pokemon, but the great chasm was a big draw, so maybe someone was in over their head...[break][break]

"Nevermind," she insisted instead. "It is best not to be distracted. The energy output here must be studied." She had a handheld device with her just to do so. Though, Edith the Espathra was the best sensor. She was reactive to environmental energy outputs and would help her determine if this location could be useful as an environment for a sleep study. [break][break]

"I appreciate your openness to a collaborative excursion, by the way. I have heard excellent things about your mind." Indeed, Hoenn had turned out to be a hotspot for dedicated researchers. Not many fell into her own areas of expertise, but she was open to unusual interdisciplinary interactions. Who knew where the next breakthrough lied? [break][break]

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The tera crystals were impressive and intimidating. Ameena hadn't done a lot of research on tera crystals, as she was doubtful there was a connection between them and the dream realm, so it was peripheral to her research at best. "I have not collected any tera crystals myself. Do you use them?" The ones around them would be difficult to harvest if either of them were interested in claiming it.[break][break]

"I could not have dreamed up a cavern like this. Hoenn has so many beautiful surprises. Galar did not feel this... unexpected." Of course, she was born and raised there, so perhaps she was numb to the peculiarities of her home country. Though. Hoenn seemed to have the most unexpected explosions of activity and strange occurrences out of the entire globe. It was an easy decision, comparative to everything else in her life, to come here to study. [break][break]

She was silent for a moment, hoping her own commentary would prompt Aurelie to speak on dreams of her own. For all of her discipline from being a Galarian Captain, she could rarely resist the opportunity to explore the minds of others. "I believe we have a few scientists working on a tera project right now. I wonder if any of them are doing fieldwork like us." She had two years under her belt, but she was still learning about the science division of Rocket. [break][break]

The entire organization seemed largely split between foot soldiers and scientists, though she had not yet witnessed the upper echelons. Many things were shrouded in secrecy, and she was too self-involved to worry about the inner workings when they paid for her research and kept her satisfied. "I meant to ask, what interested you in coming here? I understand you keep yourself busy with some craftsmanship."

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The experience is an odd mixture of immersion and whiplash. She feels sick to her stomach as the new scene unfolds around them. The over-the-top kid playroom feels fake in the same way clowns are, and it sets her hairs on end. [break][break]

"Good idea." Edith the Espathra flew up for a better vantage point and began searching for the ditto. Ameena turned her attention to Makoto's pokemon, intrigued at the response of the iron leaves. "Are they a mixed bag? That is quite interesting. This is the closest I have gotten to one before." She was very curious about Makoto's pokemon, but it was rude to investigate someone's pokemon in a simulation. At least, she thought so. Manners were hard to perse in a situation as strange as this one. Still, she asked: "How many paradox pokemon have you acquainted yourself with?"[break][break]

Edith cried out. She and the iron leaves had located some pink-purple amorphous blob. It was oscillating between several forms, none of them perfect. "How did we go from Unown to this...?" The logic of the simulation was failing her. Still, their psychics had solved the next puzzle as their abilities allowed them to find and suppress the ditto.

TAGS – Makoto Kurumi [break]
NOTES – Strategic approach[break][break]

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No barriers?[break][break]

Ameena watched as Monday confirmed her own world view. People with power instilled oversight that halted project; they just did not understand the potential of these projects. What were a few broken eggs for an omelette?[break][break]

"If you could remove these barriers," Ameena began, cautious, "I would be able to make major progress. I could pursue projects that would not be... accessible to public academia." Monday was suggesting what Ameena thought, wasn't she? The ambiguity felt like a clear invitation. [break][break]

But such opportunities were rarely without cost. "And what would you require for removing these barriers?" She was not opposed to working in another lab, working with other scientists... so long as she had time for her own projects, ones that did not require additional hands until it was out of its deeply theoretical stage.

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Ameena whipped around as Monday mentioned using dreams to travel to other places or times. She couldn't school her expression, either: her shock was clear upon her face, almost as much as the joy it morphed into. "Yes! Exactly!" She pulled a book off the shelf and flipped to a bookmarked page. It was annotated with lots of questions in the margins, but the pages only recounted a tale about a heavenly maiden who took the form of a swan and crafted the stars to evoke dreams in all who gazed upon them. She faced the book outward for Monday to glance at.[break][break]

"So many people, past and present, agree there is power to dreams, but no one has successfully harnessed them in their full potential. I believe the interdream is mist is just a taste of what is out there. I am convinced that dreams are a portal to some alternate reality, and we are actually visiting them when we dream." She placed the book back on the lip of the bookshelf and continued to gesture animatedly as she spoke, excited that someone saw dreams as something more than current researchers did (as remedies and mindfulness opportunities, the fools...)[break][break]

"I really want to analyze the energy output of people when they dream and when they experience dream eating, but it is impossible to justify such a study to a council. They are so hesitant to OK human research, especially when we inflict subjects with pokemon movesets, but this is necessary for our knowledge. For our advancement. There are endless opportunities that are just locked in here." She gestured to her temple, then sighed deeply.[break][break]

It was gratifying to hear someone else emphasize the dream world. She was fixated on the externalization and outsideness of it. It could be explored if they could access it properly. "I am really glad you reached out. It feels less intimidating to approach these studies with someone like-minded, even if the barriers to doing the research are hefty."

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The darkness was overwhelming. Ameena could hear her own heartbeat and nothing else. The sensory deprivation could quickly make someone go crazy; she knew from reading data on those experiences herself. But intellectualizing the situation was not a strong enough shield against its impact...[break][break]

White orbs appeared all around her. It took long seconds to realize it was Unown eyes. There were thousands. "Wh-what the hell?" They weren't known to congregate like this. What were they--[break][break]

They spoke in a terrifying unison. Their words were distorted as the message filled her mind, inescapable.[break][break]

And then Makoto was there again. "With haste," she added onto Makoto's suggestion, following the other woman. She had had no idea that the simulations could generate something like this. She had expected explosive scenes or something akin to a play. "I hope these simulations get less nightmarish."

TAGS – Makoto Kurumi [break]
NOTES – [break][break]

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"Ah, the dream eater study was the welcome mat for my future projects. I worked with a team of established researchers for that study who had long strings of beneficial pokemon-on-trainer research under their belt. None of them had interest in dreams in the way I did." Indeed, she had much longer studies in her plans that did not involve some goal as paltry as mentality.[break][break]

"I think we can go further than mental health benefits. I think we are accessing something else when we dream, something powerful, and... well, I just believe we do not have the current technology to harness it." She was getting ahead of herself. The scope of her future projects could intimidate. "Is that what interests you about dreams? The ability to use them to improve our mental state? Or are you looking for more?"[break][break]

Dream studies were surprisingly cross-disciplinary: understanding pokemon phrenology and evolution, energy output - particularly that of psychics, psychology, human biology, and even the anthropology of dreams - the 'third place' as deemed by some previous civilizations, was all necessary for authentic dream study. What drew Monday to it? Where was her approach stemming from?

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