He had a strong team in his corner. Her own team was Lulu and, ideally, him. She needed a greater network, but it was difficult to find someone with the background to understand her research and the ambition to invest in it. He seemed diseased in a similar way as she, compelled by the questions and threats of the universe and unable to take it passively. [break][break]

"Well, if Team Nebula has something interesting that needs another pair of hands, I am able to leave my lab from time to time." She couldn't spread herself too thin. It would limit her capacity to make advancements in accessing the dream realm. She had to be careful. But his help could be beneficial, so it was important to be willing to reciprocate. Networking was invaluable. Maybe she would be so lucky as to learn something helpful to her research in the process. [break][break]

She agreed with his assessment. "Not attached at the hip, I hope. I suspect you attract more trouble than I do." She was still a little concerned about how untroubled he had appeared in Ultra Deep Sea. "But you have my number. Perhaps our next meeting can be at my laboratory... especially if you will let me in that mind of yours." His subconscious would produce the most intriguing dreams, she was sure of it. But she wouldn't burn a working relationship just to see it. [break][break]

TAGS – Amor Rose [break]
NOTES – [break][break]

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She was intrigued that he considered the dream realm to be the best contender for reaching out to other worlds. With the work he had and his Erebus, it seemed like legitimate space travel would be preferable. But, she would never turn away someone who could offer valuable insight to her work. The interdisciplinary potential was high. "I will make time to show you what I have." He knew more about space distortion than she did, so that could be a good angle for their dream research collaboration. [break][break]

She couldn't help but raise a brow at his compliment. She had a brilliant mind, and yet she was Ms. Abadi instead of Dr. [break][break]

What a peculiar man. But if he had a little ego, it at least hadn't hindered his progress in science by a great measure. "If I die, I imagine you and Lulu could pull me from another universe. If you two are as competent as I suspect." A tease. They were both the most established scientists she'd ever known. [break][break]

So few knew about Azelf. She might take it as high praise. "A prophecy, a tyrant, and no united front to deal with either. We have our work cut out for us." Her tone was only a little sardonic. She couldn't help but enjoy a challenge. This social call was also a call to action, given all he had shared with her. "Where should we start?"

TAGS – Amor Rose [break]
NOTES – [break][break]

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The dizziness, from the chain - so she hypothesizes, makes it difficult to follow. She knows the other tribes are inferior. They trust each other, but they did not trust the scenario enough to obey. It adds a point to the 'this is a dream' column: that everyone peripheral to Ameena experiences one thing, and she receives a different treatment. [break][break]

The bird deity, up close, is stunning. Ameena does not mind the march to the new mask. She especially does not mind the removal of her own. She touches her face instinctively, looking to her cell mates. Diana is utterly gorgeous, and Luka is not hard on the eyes. Perhaps the tribe placement is ironic. Perhaps the ugliness is something deeper. "Neither of you deserve the moniker ugly," she observes instead f outright stating her suspicion.[break][break]

Others accept the mask of desire. Ameena... well, she's been drinking the punch this long. Might as well see what a dream within a dream looks like. [break][break]

Her desire is clear: she is reunited with her mother. [break][break]

They laugh, dance, sing, collect flowers, point out constellations, and touch each other's faces like they'll never see each other again. Distantly, very distantly, Ameena has already swallowed this bitter seed that poisons her belly and threatens bile. But presently, she presses her thumbs against the valley of her mother's smile lines and feels like she is looking in the kindest mirror. Ameena shares her research and journey with her mother to get to the dream realm. [break][break]

Her mother's face almost freezes. The motionlessness lasts for less than a blink, but Ameena feels it burned into her mind. Why? Is it because even her subconscious cannot imagine what her mother would say to the lengths Ameena went through? The unethical studies performed to accomplish it? The blood on her hands to climb the mountainous obstacles of reality to reach into the dream realm and pull herself into it, into a reality where her mother lived, a rebirthing of herself to find a happy ending in a beginning - or was that as incomprehensible as it sounded? Could her mother wrap her head around it? Could she make peace with it? That Ameena was not hers? Would there be another Ameena in this dream realm to take out? The complications of getting what she asked for, what she worked for for more than a decade, what she dreamed of... How could she have overlooked it?[break][break]

The moment stretches, but it does not break. Her mother returns to smiling the half-second later and cherishes Ameena. Ameena drifts immediately back into the dream, coated in the desire like warm syrup, and she lets herself drown it. [break][break]

The dream within a dream is ripped from her without ceremony as she no longer dons the mask. Words fail her. She needs to wake up.

TAGS – Diana Cavendish luka chêne [break]
NOTES – looks in mask!![break]CpW3NLo_

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Ameena savored a sip as she considered Lulu's question and observation. "I learned long ago to not brush off someone before you see what they are really made of. The military made men out of mice and mice out of men." Galar had been rigorous. The honor and imagery of service was more important than its actual value or purpose. Her homeland relied too much on appearances and not enough on real progress. But she had learned invaluable lessons about what that environment did to people, how it built or eroded them. [break][break]

"Still, I have been pleasantly surprised at the variety of people here. Even simple street urchins have their moments of brilliance. It makes me want to adopt a dozen proteges, though I cannot afford the time investment of such a project. I wish there were two of me." She laughed. [break][break]

"But things are well. I have seen a lot of unusual things in my time with the other head scientist, Amor. He has talked to me of..." How secret was it? She quietly finished, "Eternatus." Admittedly, she had felt a bit of paranoia about the creature growing in herself. She felt unprepared to address such a threat, especially after meeting Amor Rose 's Erebus. [break][break]

But it was rude to jump straight from herself to any kind of business talk. "How are things on your end? I hope you have no fires to put out."

TAGS – Lulu Flint [break]
NOTES – [break][break]

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Ameena took a long moment to assess Gwen openly, not hiding her analytical gaze. She wanted to be confident in Gwen's capacity to continue. Dead weight would hinder her investigation, but more importantly, she felt like Gwen had a lot of potential to be a test subject for a sleep study. The Ranger was trusting enough to get this far. Ameena wondered what else she could accomplish with the youth while her naiviete enabled Ameena's schemes. [break][break]

"Continue we will." The duo walked towards the building ahead with a tall tower and little activity inside. Some of the windows were broken, so it was easy to see how abandoned it was. Ameena tried not to brush off the unease she felt as a Xurkitree in the distance started moving their way. [break][break]

Ameena sent her Musharna to enter the building first in case there were traps or an ambush of exploding pokemon. But when nothing went boom, she gave Gwen the OK. "This looks like an observation outpost. For research," she explained further. "I do not see good methods of travel up here, and it is not well defended, so I wonder if the Megalopolans have some other method of transport to evade the vicious pokemon in the area." [break][break]

She wanted the Ranger's thoughts on the matter as they entered the decrepit building. There were many odd gizmos and notes scattered throughout the area. Ameena picked up some papers and began reading something with a drawing of Xurkitree. She blew on the document to brush off some of the ash -- it appeared that some of the Megalopolans had been disintegrated... by the sheer power of electricity? From its heat? She needed more data on the Xurkitree.

TAGS – Gwendolyn Conway [break]
NOTES – 18 recover notes from disintegrated megalopolan remains that suggest no other pokemon apart from ultra beasts resided here.[break][break]

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"When is it convincing to pretend to be impressed?" She stifled a smile by sipping her tea. This place was so normal and Amor was so not. His endorsement of this cafe was just another misshapen piece for the Amor puzzle. She had a hard time knowing what to make of him. [break][break]

The cafe was quaint. The drinks all looked good. She had no complaints about the tea, though she couldn't say she would come all the way out to Lilycove just for a cuppa. "How's your drink?" She asked, turning to Cillian. She had to fight the mental image of a Ranger coming in and seeing such high-ranking Rocket members. And herself. Well, their faces might not be known to many. It was a good thing, as such an association might prohibit her from functioning as a CEO anymore. [break][break]

TAGS – Amor Rose Cillian Quinn [break]

NOTES – [break][break]

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She was pleased with his answer. "Well, perhaps I will find you in a curious mood and entice you into a dream study." She was awfully curious about what went on in that mind of his. [break][break]

"Team Nebula," she repeated with a small amount of awe. "Very fitting for someone so involved in the stars, between Deoxys and this Eternatus business." She fully believed Eternatus came from space like Deoxys given how Deoxys could damage Eternatus more than the average pokemon. She was convinced they were made of the same stuff. [break][break]

She was sure she could be of use to him and vice versa, but she needed to prioritize her projects before asking for assistance. "Well, I should not be surprised you are so eclectic in taste for projects. I think an interdisciplinary approach is important for all research, and you have clearly been practicing many fields of study. If your team ever needs someone well-versed in the dream realm or the deities of Alola, you can ring me." [break][break]

Her research in Alola was not well-documented as she had not published any works from her studies. She had been pursing a connection between Tapu Lele and the dream realm, but she had not found strong evidence. The religious and ritualistic beliefs and practices surrounding the deities there was a source of intrigue for her. She owed anthropology more attention for her dream studies to determine past beliefs and rituals regarding entering the dream realm to see what held any truth.

TAGS – Amor Rose [break]
NOTES – [break][break]

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Hm. If Deoxys was one of the pokemon that could harm Eternatus better than others, she felt an inkling that it was related to Deoxys' origin. She was unaware of what pokemon type Eternatus might be beyond the implications of poison from their previous talks. It seemed otherworldly, just like Deoxys. "We should look to the stars. It appears pokemon not of our planet might hold the key to defeating this Eternatus." That, and some of the space-time distortions. More trips to Megalopolis might shine light on this, too. [break][break]

She could not blame him for not wanting to hand Deoxys over. More time dedicated to finding similar pokemon seemed to be a good investment, though. "I do not have any League contacts. It seems it is in our best interest to consider some old-fashioned hacking or stealing of intel. Though, I have experienced little conflict with the League, and that has certainly served me well." She was not eager for a target on her back. [break][break]

She was, admittedly, not eager to be destroyed by the tyrant Eternatus. [break][break]

"Do you know anyone who might hear you out about Eternatus? Anyone more interested in survival than their morals or the law? There are many ways to approach this. Who else knows what you know about Eternatus? Perhaps, this warrants something as organized as a taskforce." She was unhappy to think it, but. She was thinking she would need to push her dream research aside to focus on this.

TAGS – Amor Rose [break]
NOTES – [break][break]

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"Diana and Luka," Ameena repeats now that Diana has also identified herself. She listens to Luka's information about the toxic chains. Worship? That tracks, somehow. These wardens carry a special energy around them. They command too much confidence. The fact Ameena's never seen them lends her to the belief that they are deities. Hoenn, she's been learning, has no shortage of them. [break][break]

Ameena doesn't know what to make of it. To Luka, she asks: "Did you engage in a ritual with these toxic chains?" And then the deities enact punishment. [break][break]

The beatings are brutal, but there could have been worse consequences. The pokeball breaking... It's too unusual. Would her subconscious summon this imagery? What would the lesson be? If this was a momentary view into an alternate reality, she still couldn't gather the rationale. The tera crystal labor and the lack of similarities between prisoners and the masks were all STRANGE. It was ritualistic in a way she couldn't wrap her head around. [break][break]

Real, not real. Ameena needed to play along to discover more. "Weakling," she voted, voice muffled. The trifecta of flaws for the different groups must mean something. If they condemned weakness, it could appease the gods. Maybe.

TAGS – Diana Cavendish luka chêne [break]
NOTES – 1) votes weakling[break]

[attr="class","pkmn"]

It was nothing fancy whatsoever, but the breakroom was one of Ameena's happy places. She had really found a lot of enjoyment in the networking Rocket offered, even beyond the science realm, what had surprised her deeply. But the different walks of life that her colleagues had had lead to a lot of interesting discussions and new perspectives. The folks she would have once brushed off as thugs were quite fascinating, and they were typically excellent conversationalists. [break][break]

She was, in short, a regular at the breakroom. She exchanged greetings with several people who passed their table. The kettle looked high end, but was really quality was the scent of tea that filled the room. Something sweet and floral filled the room. There was a slight hint of citrus. [break][break]

"I appreciate you taking your time to meet with me," Ameena expressed as she poured them both a cup. "This setting is not very special, but it does prevent any information from falling into the wrong hands." She was admittedly paranoid about bugs in her office; her own company provided excellent information-gathering technology, and it would be her own undoing to think herself untouchable. Though, to her knowledge, she had tipped off zero Leaguers to the illegitimate parts of her business.

TAGS – Lulu Flint [break]
NOTES – [break][break]

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The Ranger was freaking out, there were dead pokemon everywhere, and the towering Xurkitree was still dangerously close. "We need to get distance." A spark from the Xuriktree struck a Charjabug, and for some reason, the Charjabug got back on its feet and generated an electric charge all on its own. [break][break]

Resurrection?[break][break]

Oh, she wasn't leaving without more data. But the imminent danger meant they needed to regroup elsewhere. "Tactical regrouping-" was the only explanation she gave a she scooped Gwendolyn up in her arms. She brushed her hand past a pokeball on her waist, releasing more pokemon. Edith used lumina crash on an Electrike that was rising from the ground beside them. Ameena continued to run past dozens of 'dead' pokemon that were returning to life after shocks from Xurkitree.[break][break]

Ameena took them into a broken-down building and set Gwen down, assessing the redhead for any injuries. "Those pokemon were dead," Ameena observed aloud. "From ultra beasts, I suspect. They tend to be violent. That Xurkitree was bringing them back with its electricity. It could happen with unconscious pokemon, but dead ones? This ultra beast is strangely powerful." She explained all of these carefully, without a care for the dead-undead creatures outside. [break][break]

"I need more data. Are you OK to explore further?"

TAGS – Gwendolyn Conway [break]
NOTES – 23 encounter electrical phenomena (e.g. lightning, exposed wiring, etc.) that reactivates/resurrects deactivated ultra beasts or "dead" pokemon.[break][break]

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