REDEEMING FROM PROJECT TOWER
BLACEPHALON - u | beast boost | astonish, confuse ray, hypnosis, calm mind, fire blast, mind blown

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Grimmsnarl indeed is confused by the Obstagoon's doing, however, the other pokémon doesn't seem keen on elaborating, so he quickly focuses on the battle and Wo-Chien.

Fenelle looks similiarly puzzled at the other's odd mix of optimism quickly followed by pessimism and a shrug-attitude. "Only one way to find out," dee returns in signing, translated by the Rotom tablets electric-charged speech. Dee sees the other going for a ranged attempt, something that Grimmsnarl is bad at - even if he also sometimes appears to be bad at melee, too, to come back with a vengeance.

They've mostly left the acts behind, but some genuine outburts of frustrations are still, indeed, possible.

Grimmsnarl doesn't manage to stop his Bite attack in time, already finding himself injured by the snail's defenses and toxins. Still, his grimm expression is as ever, and he wouldn't budge down so quickly. For a moment, he believes to see an opening - briefly looking at the Obstagoon, he lurges forward once more, trying to go for a Spirit Break now to create an opportunity for the other - possibly.

Madeline McKenna
choice? attack?

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War is a hungry beast.

It always demands for more, and their duty right now is to feed it, give it what it wants. Kenjiro and Fenelle find themselves once more at the beginning of a power spot, not quite as active but still possible to mine. And, more importantly, also not quite as close to a League stronghold. "Let's see how this Power Spot will be," dee comments to Kenjiro, der signing as ever translated to speech by der Rotom.

Despite this Spot's more ominous appearance, dee finds demself a little bit more relaxed as dee sits on der Metagross, ready to float down steadily.

Kenjiro Yamada
choice leap into the power spot

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In the focus of the battle royale, Fenelle fully missed the whole banter going on. There's been little room for it when hyperfixation kicks in, and even as it's only been dem and Kepler, dee focused on the goal ahead.

Didn't work out, but finale is further than anticipated. Exactly as calculated. It's complicated.

Now, that hyperfocus leads to a vague surprise to find Hitoshi being quite talkative - but given his quick team-up with Dorian back then, it might not be surprising. Both of them recognise the strength you have in numbers. Dee is relieved to see that the other doesn't hold a grudge. The Rotom tablet floating next to dem translates every word to text, and der gaze flickers constantly between Hitoshi proper and the tablet.

As dee lifts der hands to sign, the Rotom would translate those movements into robotic speech, "Thank you, and likewise. It was enlightening to have fought against you and Westcliff, too." A first ruthless target to steel the nerves. Dee actually doesn't find demself too bothered by the smoke, but give an acknowledging nod nonetheless.

"Congratulations to your promotion," dee also adds as Hitoshi remarks upon SPECTRA. "I've started officially in December of last year, but I've studied before. My main field is hacking, but I deviate." Strength is something that left an impression on Fenelle - and something that dee would desperately need in the times to come. "I'd be honoured to if the higher-ups might also view it like this," dee replies - not daring to speak out of step. Deep down, it's also still a terrifying thought and a goal to aim for. But dee would never admit not being entirely ready demself, and delegate that to the nebulous "higher-ups".

But still, dee is curious. "What is it like, being a SPECTRA agent?"

Throughout it all, dee is connected to der Metagross that keeps a psychic eye and feeling out for anything that might approach and interrupt the mission - and there's a vague ping, at the very end of a radar. "There might be something coming."

Hitoshi Inoue

Fenelle really has no idea why dee is here.

Or well, dee does know.

Dee made the mistake of complaining a little bit about the heat and the sun and the beach to Grandpa Théo, who promptly dragged dem onto his boat to take to the sea, the proper sea, where it would be "hot but also chill, promis!"

But as ever, before the boat would come to a standstill, it would chase the waves with a vengeance, as if the sea personally has wronged Théo and while not angry, he certainly would not let this go unpaid for.

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There's the vaguest twitch of amusement in Fenelle's face as Clover starts talking in codenames - an important lesson still and definitely the correct move. If any passerby would find them talking about the frenzied Kyogre in such a non-plussed manner, it would in the best case merely arouse suspicion, and in the worst case, actually leak intel to the League that they would rather keep to themselves.

"Her intel will possibly prove valuable ... especially given that our friends love the sea so much. We wouldn't want anything happening to the boats," Fenelle continues with a thoughtful expression that's more to sell it than to make a point. But fact is indeed, Team Rocket's Headquarters are a submarine. It's almost a miracle that Kyogre never disturbed it - but dee knows that there's minds making sure these paths do not cross.

Dee walks alongside Clover closer to the water again, with the big and stupid gentle looking Orthworm beside them as der water pokémon check out the sea again. At her question, dee pauses for a moment, thinking about the answer. "I suppose the beach can be a nice place to relax ... but I think Slateport's a bit too crowded," dee says, thinking back on that interlude of beach adventures. Dee did catch Froakie and Dondozo during, but that's about every good part there was. "But this is definitely not the worst ..."" Dee ponders for a moment. What would such a young Grunt do? Dee only entered the organisation proper when der parents deemed them ready, which is after some inofficial PHDs.

"Training, mostly. How about you?" This is a rather unlucky place for a heart-to-heart, but they'd make do. Somehow. Probably.

For now, dee also spots a Chinchou which seems to be rather puzzling to Froakie and Dondozo - they do manage to weaken it for Fenelle to catch, however, who looks at the pokéball with a quiet mental note. Water Absorb?

clover matamata

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Fenelle starts looking quite interested as Yuan seems to start doing some more computer stuff - judging from his words, he might be looking into said programming right now, even if dee isn't sure if any fix would be applied immediately. There's this pair theory, but it's probably not working that well yet. And never on macro scales ... now, if they could influence the tiniest ...

Dee snaps back almost instantly, not allowing demself to be distracted too much from the ongoing training. The Ominous Wind hits the Dreepy rather heavily, and given that she doesn't really have much battle experience of anything, she also already looks almost entirely out of it. Still, she stands and Fenelle gives her that.

Breaking out of her confusion, she decides to go for an annoying move - Infestation. It's really hard to describe how the bugs look like that suddenly are called forth, dying and somehow reviving themself in the electricity of the Rotom. Truly a ghastly sight.

"Yeah, I've noticed that pokémon truly have the instinct generally ... which makes sense, given their power and wild behaviour. It's kind of fascinating to consider how we domesticated them. Or some of them, at least."

Yuan Wright

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Kalosian isn't only close to Aurelie's heart - Fenelle shudders at the idea of messing this one up too much when dee thinks of der Grandpa Théo. He probably has no idea about this contest because he's busy being eccentric with something else, but if he'd ... yeah. No. Fenelle is doubly-fear fuelled and thus brings up an incredibly unknown specialty from Glorio City - made even more unknwon since it's a family dish.

The dough's easily prepared, which only leaves the incredibly weird but oddly satisfying combination of fruits and cream that goes on top of it. Unfortunately, dee doesn't have the specific cheese dee would need to make it perfect, but it's better for literally every other contestant - for those unused to it, that cheese's a one-hit knock-out move with 100% accuracy.

Magnemite's in charge of the baking process again, which is frequently interrupted by a few more additions that all have to be timed to not be burned. The result is a rather interesting fruity dish that still has some hearty flavour because of the cheese and the crème fraîche.

dish flammkueche
zvaiezYO+67

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Fenelle doesn't hear the clank-clank of a hammer against spikes, but spots the little Tinkatink moments before Fletcher caught it. The Rotom takes the little break in conversation to fully settle into this new task, as it's never done that before.

(This Rotom's just the usual one that comes with a Rotom-Phone, and not one that dee already trained to perfection. It works, but will be a bit wonky.)

Transcribing the text works well, however, as Fletcher's words appear on screen briefly after. "No, actually ... not," the Rotom translates, moments before throwing another pokéball at a little Cetoddle that's approached the group curiously. ... "I'm actually looking for Orthworms specifically right now," dee states, seeing no harm in disclosing that information, and taps the cold metal of the (normal-sized) companion by der side.

"How about you?"

Fletcher Hyland
capture attempt cetoddle

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Fenelle has to admit. It's a bit poetic to see how Livy and Morales handle the situation, determined on being the so-called protectors of the region. It's also a heavy feeling in der gut as actual fear arises in the still lake of der heart. Dee only visually sees the sparkling dome of the Wyrdeer and Chi-Yu's arrival on the screen before tapping der Metagross on which dee is seated. At der command, it expands its psychic force, allowing them to figure out the moving, living things, adding the feeling of sound to deaf ears.

Der squadron would continue fighting, the commands still fresh in the Genesect's programming. Dee focuses on the collapsing streets ahead, the escape route.

Dee knows the way - oh god, does dee know the way.

---

The fight is dire, but it's turning. There's reprieve in the form of a dome, as envy cakes the minds of civilians for the better - or the worse. There's chaos, but amidst it, perhaps, real hope through the smoke of the defeated.

And then, inexplicably, nostalgia.

Like a wave of tears that are choked and stored away, a psychic irritation that resonates in the mind before coming to an abrupt halt.

But like waves do, there's an origin point. Concentric circles that share one common thing.

---

Fenelle snaps. Stares at der Metagross with horror that doesn't slip through because it has noticed its mistake, too. Dee has feared that - has talked with Zev Harcourt about it but not like this. Dee didn't expect this to happen. A feeling of remembrance so strong it slipped into the psychic surveillance system.

Dee taps the Metagross with trembling fingers again, but it's not needed - the Metagross hurries on floating forward. A ping on der wristband tells dem that the Rockets with der pokémon are onto the way to the meeting location. More pings asking what this was about.

Scramble.

The Rockets on the plaza receive the command, and intensify the chaos caused while trying to flee. The Genesect also similiarly start to become even more aggressive, building up a wall of violence to prevent the Leaguers from moving onward, from chasing the lead to the mastermind behind all this.

PENELOPE LIVY ollie morales
MP +10
highlight another character's strength: penny and ollie handling the situation (more accurate for the post before but i forgot XD)
experience great fear: oh shit chi-yu is here and my army's getting smaller
reference a past thread: pre-prelude thread with zev as nostalgia hits

MP TOTAL: 400

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A Rotom tablet carefully floats next to Fenelle, eyeing the water with a distrustful gaze, while Fenelle's seated on der Dondozo, some ways away from the shore. Having found the big water pokémon turned out to be really useful in many ways - for once, der general distrust of boats could be simply avoided (much to grandpa Théo's chagrin), and it has many other advantages like a really cool skin even in the warm weather.

Dee turns to the other Grunt nearby, either actually with dem on the Dondozo, in the water or in the shore or whereever dee could send the Rotom to to translate der signed words into robotic speech, "Would you mind if I fish while we're waiting for the mission to start?" There's maybe been somewhat of a miscommunication, leading them to be way too early at the agreed location - there's not much to do now but kill time somehow.

And in the coming war, knowing the way around water might actually also be more relevant than one thinks ... perhaps?

kasper thaler

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Mille is still hurting severely for a personal teleport pokémon, having to rely on the ones Team Rocket would provide for bigger missions. Here, however, there's none of that - it's supposed to be fairly uncomplicated, but everyone knows how that always goes.

Mille nods at the reminder that indeed, Yuan is more of a thinker than a fighter, and that for now, bruteforcing might be der job. The duo of a child? and her Lycanroc with a Duoblade on her back is ... unexpected. It's also unexpected that they do not launch into an attack immediately, something dee considers a weakness.

Still, for now, Mille mirrors this, and nods slightly for the Grimmsnarl to carefully put the pearls on the ground. Dee would leave Yuan to do the talking, while readying for a battle with subtle signing and codes given to der pokémon to ready still. The Hisuian Goodra and Bronzong seem relaxed, not yet readying themselves to fight apparently. The Grimmsnarl stands up straight at the threat, opening its mouth to reveal sharp teeth as well - and slowly curling hair around the pearls on the ground nonetheless while drawing attention to the danger of the white edges in his face.

Once Yuan would decide talking's done, der pokémon would launch into the distraction battle.

Ettie Yuan Wright