[attr="class","icon"]

It's rather ironic when you think about it. After everything Necrozma has put them through, Eternatus' descent unites long-standing foes, casting them as unforeseen allies. Katherine wishes for it to be more entertaining than it is. Giratina's message leaves her conflicted, agitated—if not outright unfulfilled.
[break][break]
Necrozma deserved to be dealt with, once and for all.
[break][break]
Eternatus just happened to be a bigger threat today.
[break][break]
She prays for enough time to tend to both today - to settle a score now rather than later - however, deep in her heart, the Malevolent carries a forlorn acceptance that such an opportunity may elude her grasp. She briefly entertains such wistful yearnings, but pessimism whispers their dismissal.
[break][break]
Katherine's rhythm of teleportation continues-- until it reaches an abrupt end. She maintains her stance, firmly planted amidst the heated exchange of the two otherworldly deities. Distorted energy surges from within her, rippling in waves until they solidify into a projection of their realm, enveloping Giratina and Katherine both with a familiar shroud that clings to their bodies, harmonized and attuned.
[break][break]
The lord of antimatter's domain expands further when it soars closer and past its avatar, opening its maw to unleash a tornado of draconic energy, manifesting in a MAX WYRMWIND that seeks to consume its kin whole.
[break][break]
"They are all unworthy," Arceus, Eternatus, Palkia and Dialga, "all irredeemable. It will always fall on our shoulders, won't it?"

---

tl;dr:[break]
- katherine uses her ability to manifest a projection of the distortion world before giratina attacks[break]
- giratina ATTACKS ETERNATUS using MAX WYRMWIND[break]
- some inner dialogue that only giratina can hear (telepathically)

[attr="class","bottom"]@ RUSTED SWORD [break]

[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"It did not come from here," her correction is curt and interruptive. The ambassador's every word is held under a keen and watchful eye, leaving no room for disregard or oversight. No slight or insinuation against her region passes unnoticed, especially within the confines of hushed chambers.
[break][break]
"It is an alien. It came from beyond our world," she continues after a breath, short and peaceful. A reminder that she has to restrain herself slightly, "None grieve what happened in Galar more than the people of Hoenn do, ambassador. We know what that thing is capable of."
[break][break]
There is the slightest distaste in her mouth at the faux sadness and empathy she employs.
[break][break]
"My perspective? I wish I had to deal with less of this," with an elegant sweep of her hand, she directs his attention to the report she examined minutes ago and only afterwards does she gesture between him and her. "Some of these reports should have never been written, and some of these meetings should have never been scheduled!"
[break][break]
She says it just loud enough that even Violet can hear her.
[break][break]
"I am dealing with aliens, Ambassador Demassieux. Aliens, terrorists, people from alternate dimensions with personal vendettas and lastly, very destructive, violent gods. Do you honestly think you can help with that?"

[attr="class","bottom"]Julien Demassieux [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

To come back from the dead with the wish of seeing a councilman first and foremost... The more Alexander spoke, the less Katherine understood him. The mystery enshrouding the bond he shared with Fernando danced on the edges of her consciousness, bordering a mix of fascination and mild irritation.
[break][break]
"Well, okay," she eventually relents, "I can accept that."
[break][break]
It's a once-in-a-lifetime excuse, is all Katherine can think to herself. It's not like Alexander could die and come back from the dead a second time, right?
[break][break]
"We really don't have to talk about that, though," she won't apologize for bringing it up, but she will grace the former champion with the opportunity to change the subject. "or him, for what it's worth." What a subtle attempt at gauging where the two of them stand.

[attr="class","bottom"]ALEXANDER STONE [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"It is."
[break][break]
She has had to slaughter her alternate self for the first shard, negotiate with team rocket's boss for the second, and travel to a different realm to find the third. And that's excluding the imaginary one she sought in the Ultra Desert and nearly paid for with her life.
[break][break]
With a touch of hesitance, the necklace is delicately removed and placed gently upon the table, nestling itself beside the other shimmering fragment.
[break][break]
"The latter, yes. This shard," she gestures at the one that could be contaminated, "came from a person I don't particularly trust. It hasn't done anything strange yet, though."

[attr="class","bottom"]Eva Morales [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

Slateport was everyone's first guess.
[break][break]
"No. It's Sootopolis, actually," ironic, given the current state of affairs in the rune city. Nothing about the Malevolent screamed 'water' exactly, so she was used to surprising people with this.
[break][break]
Katherine's heart occasionally wandered back to memories of her childhood hometown, tugging at the strings of nostalgia. Although she possessed the skill and ability to infiltrate the city, she remained aware that it no longer embraced her as its own. Team Rocket had changed it.
[break][break]
And truth be told, even before their takeover, a part of her felt this way since the day she bid the city farewell.
[break][break]
"Slateport is my favorite though, for what it's worth."

[attr="class","bottom"]PENELOPE LIVY [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

A flicker of light, a silhouette of her essence, a phantom donning the guise of a human. The Malevolent gracefully traverses the battleground in a sequence of SHADOW FORCE ESQUE teleports, embodying the artistry and dexterity of a seasoned fencer. She never skips a beat. Despite enduring twenty long years of imprisonment within this realm, Katherine's flame burned true as ever, condemning stagnation with every breath she draws.
[break][break]
"Our kingdom awaits," the former councilwoman's lips need not part for her words to reach her god. Her prayer is heard before a thought can fully form in her mind, a perk of the sacred bond that ties her to Giratina. The lack of vocal response never concerns her, but a surge of energy confirms what she already knew-- what she suspected. Even her god's sibling couldn't stand in their way.
[break][break]
They both wouldn't allow it.
[break][break]
When Giratina emerges into existence, it does so through the ominous veil of the Malevolent's shadow, springing into existence akin to a spectral apparition. A resounding roar heralds its grand DYNAMAX transformation. Silence lingers afterwards, shattered only by the MAX HAILSTORM it conjures. The atmosphere shivers in anticipation of the move as it begins to overwhelm the area with its coldness, freezing the very air in an arctic display of dominance.
[break][break]
Its target remains the Rillaboom, leaving others to tend to the other two.
[break][break]
Elsewhere, on the battlefield itself, the Malevolent continues her steady approach. She dares not engage an enemy, forgoing the luxury of remaining in a place for too long to cover more distance. While the foolish and loyal squander their precious moments battling the venomous horde, her gaze remains fixed upon her deity's not-so-distant kin and its formidable enemy.
[break][break]
This war bore no claim upon her allegiance, much like Galar held no tether to her soul. This realm wasn't her home.
[break][break]
She would not fight to stay here.

---

TvmkuG1x

---

tl;dr:[break]
- fighting but also not fighting to help galar[break]
- giratina dynamax. she reminds giratina of the promise she made to it two decades ago.[break]
- giratina uses max hailstorm against rillaboom.[break]
- katherine attempts to cover as much ground on the field by teleporting rapidly without actively engaging vs the pkmn. she wants to get closer to necrozma n eternatus & also refuses to fight to stay in galar.

[attr="class","bottom"]@ RUSTED SWORD [break]

[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"I suppose so."
[break][break]
A part of her expected something more. A more content feeling, a bit of a rush, some sort of wave of relief... Alas, none graced her path. She imagined Kyle felt the same, like their battle meant nothing and they had just skipped a cutscene so irrelevant to the main story that the developers could have never written it and nothing would have changed.
[break][break]
"What, isn't it obvious?"
[break][break]
A veil of feigned shock falls over her face, mimicking the notion that the writing on the wall was blatantly obvious that Kyle must have been blind for missing it, "I wanted to be your first. Duh."
[break][break]
Sexual innuendos aside, "Oh, erm, also because I'll be announcing that I'm running for office soon. I figured it'd be nice to get this out of the way while I still can."

[attr="class","bottom"]kyle lopez [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"Things beyond duty. Mm..."
[break][break]
The concept tastes foreign in her mouth. The sheer thought of existing for a purpose that transcends the oath has taken and the inseparable tie that binds her to Giratina is blasphemous. She discerns, with an air of distaste, that it is awfully human. It reeks of the same mortality she detests.
[break][break]
"You've been there. Hrm, yes, I suppose you can say that. Many others can, too. I'm not certain 'there' will ever be enough for me," half a reprimand, half a confession.
[break][break]
"Well, that's just empty posturing," his half-shrug is met with a shake of her head, "you and I both know that our region's gym leaders are on the front lines. They don't just run their gyms—they aren't afforded that luxury anymore."
[break][break]
She briefly bestows her gaze upon Jirachi, sparing Greyson from the intensity of her judging eyes, "are you sure that's all there was to it?"

[attr="class","bottom"]Greyson Connors [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

With a hint of reluctance, Katherine relinquishes the cozy embrace of her seat, gracefully standing up to extend her hand in a courteous greeting to the ambassador. Duty, ever a steadfast companion, guides her actions and compels her to partake in the exchange of formalities.
[break][break]
"Please, the pleasure's all mine," how practised, how rehearsed. From her vantage point, Julien stands a long way from gaining even an ounce of honesty, resulting in her decision to withhold it completely. She will play things by the book, as expected of her. After all, a politician must depart from an encounter leaving the other party content, even without bestowing a single thing of tangible semblance.
[break][break]
She sits after him, settling into her throne.
[break][break]
"Thank you, thank you," the phrase tastes poisonous in her mouth, "I'm very happy to be doing more for my region," a faint, forced chuckle slips through her lips, devoid of genuine mirth. "I'd hate to boast, but he has very big shoes to fill—not that it really matters, but still. I have the utmost faith in the other three members. I'm sure they're already helping him settle into the role."
[break][break]
She smiles almost as though her former peers were greatly missed. "But I'd hate to bore you with details about my former co-workers," not to mention that it would be highly unprofessional, seeing how they worked under her now. "What can I do for you, Ambassador Demassieux?"

[attr="class","bottom"]Julien Demassieux [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

Emptiness is the most dangerous emotion.
[break][break]
Alas, the world keeps this secret silent, withholding cautionary tales from unsuspecting souls. Not a single parent, with all their vigilance, deems it necessary to impart the wisdom of this venomous affliction, leaving children unprepared for the moment when their spirit fades into a lifeless vessel. It is the most dangerous emotion, and the rarest of them all, for it has never been common in the history of mankind for people to lose their spirit.
[break][break]
On the rare days when Giratina elects to console its avatar, it does so terribly. It tells her that this will become ordinary eventually, that time won't always feel so slow, that it is a human privilege to forget and gods are not offered the same luxury. Her lips never part to offer gratitude, and yet the Renegade god remains impervious to its patron's unappreciative demeanour.
[break][break]
It is a dance they share once a year, its tempo unchanging.
[break][break]
It is within that void inside her, the hollowness, that Katherine finds herself succumbing to the smallest of emotions. The most fleeting inkling of annoyance erupts into a furious storm, the faintest flickers of envy ignite into manic episodes of longing and desire, the resurfacing of a memory - sweet or sombre - is enough to make her feel more fragile than she's ever felt, as though she might just lose herself to her thoughts.
[break][break]
She never learns to control it, but being her, Katherine finds a way to channel it better. Relief comes in the weirdest of forms-- two forms specifically-- each answering to a different name. Eve and Cal. Her godchildren.
[break][break]
They bring out the little humanity Katherine has denounced for what she considers the better part of her life. Anger, envy, resentment, regret and sadness gradually become scarce visitors. Joy, pride, relief, and occasionally, even annoyance (the one she has grown fond of) take their place. Cal and Eve tether her to this sick world she loathes. They make it bearable.
[break][break]
She should resent them for making her feel this way. The old Katherine would, but the thought never crosses her mind. Okay, maybe she resents the way they call her Auntie Kat. She doesn't like the sound of that, but that's it. It is the most she can bear to hate around them.
[break][break]
When she's finally reunited with priam conrad, the first thing she asks him is whether he had children too. After all, everyone else seemed to have a couple following them around. He says no, she almost frowns, and that's that. Someone is keeping him happy, so she can't be too mad.
[break][break]
But old habits die hard. Katherine Fairburne never clamored to be perfectly good.
[break][break]
Bitterness seeps into her heart, inevitably arising whenever her godchildren are absent. As the years go by, she struggles to look at the monarchs of Motostoke without placing blame upon them for kindling her attachment to this place. She never intended to like it. She could never hold Cal or Eve responsible. Instead, her accusations fall upon the shoulders of their parents—her cherished friends.
[break][break]
Such resentment continues to fester in her heart, nurtured by none other than Giratina. When he tells her she should blame them for the way she feels, Katherine agrees.
[break][break]
It is as unfair as you'd expect from an unfair god and unfair goddess.

---

QBtE9u7K

---

tl;dr:[break]
- in motostoke[break]
- may add more later if i feel like it.[break]
- still reclusive, but after the birth of eve & cal, she shows herself more n more.[break]
- she's a really good godmother[break]
- meets priam conrad & npc!medb[break]
- kind of hates ollie n penny now[break]

[attr="class","bottom"]@ RUSTED SWORD [break]

[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

What a delightful surprise it was to learn that her diligent assistant, Violet, had once again skillfully arranged an unscheduled meeting, all without seeking Katherine's approval. Violet possessed an innate understanding, honed during Katherine's tenure as Mauville's gym leader, of identifying individuals who deserved not a moment's unnecessary delay. There weren't many of them—but an ambassador certainly fit the bill.
[break][break]
Sadly, Violet's sway was forever barred from breaching the fortress that was Katherine's office. Nothing could save Julien Demassieux from being welcomed by a rather distracted councilwoman. She keeps her gaze steadfastly fixed upon the report before her, choosing not to elevate herself or bestow upon Julien the courtesy of a direct glance.
[break][break]
"Please, take a seat. I'll be finished in a second."
[break][break]
Her hand moves with unexpected swiftness, seizing a pen and gliding it across the paper in an elegant arc to inscribe her signature on it. Only afterwards does Katherine grant her eyes permission to find the ambassador's own, greeting him with a delicate smile whose sincerity flickers like a flame in the wind.
[break][break]
"Mm. Hello."
[break][break]
She wasn't very formal.

[attr="class","bottom"]Julien Demassieux [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

EVERYTHING AND NOTHING ALWAYS HAUNT ME.

[break][break]
Galar is a shitshow. It doesn't take a simulation for Katherine to recognize that, nor does she require the assessment of a dark triad member to confirm her suspicion. This region proved to be a disappointment. No solace whispered its gentle reassurance into the Malevolent's troubled soul, for the illusion of unreality refused to bestow even a glimmer of respite. Whether real or fabricated, this charade was their only refuge. Well, this and the even-more-barren distortion world.
[break][break]
'This isn't real' is a sentence many of her friends and former peers hear over the first year Katherine spends in Galar. PENELOPE LIVY , ollie morales , Melody Miro . They hear it, come low and come high. Its echoes weave their way even into unwilling ears. Katherine's unceasing repetition plays out like a melancholic symphony, fading into the background until even her listeners' interest wanes.
[break][break]
Truth hurts. [break]
It always has.
[break][break]
The Malevolent becomes increasingly withdrawn, her appearances in Motostoke becoming scarce and elusive. Her true name is eventually eclipsed, yielding to a revered title of the highest honour, celebrating her as a paragon of sorcery. She was no longer 'Katherine' nor a 'councilwoman'; she was a witch.
[break][break]
Some things truly never change.
[break][break]
Before, Hoenn had given her reasons to stay rooted in 'reality' and their home dimension. Galar, however, couldn't. The ethereal embrace of the distortion world mended the void left by their previous home. Barren and empty as it might be, it was hers. Still familiar, forever comforting. Her sanctuary. Bit by bit, month by month, she observed her realm reclaim its former glory. She cherished each familiar isle and cascading waterfall that returned to her dimension. It was proof; she told herself—concrete evidence she'd be foolish to ignore.
[break][break]
The first few times, she had even gone as far as inviting PENELOPE LIVY to see it with her. She allowed the queen to witness it for herself, the progress-- the proof that this wasn't their home-- that it was all fake. But she didn't fault Penny for not believing her.
[break][break]
The creation of her weapon is something she completes in her realm. Sheltered from distractions, she forges a whip befitting a THIEF. It is scarcely used, for she scarcely elects to protect Motostoke. She intervenes only when absolutely necessary, and even then, her contribution is left in the dark.
[break][break]
Others would have lost their minds by now. The isolation is bound to drive a person crazy—but as luck would have it, the witch is never alone. She spends every waking moment with the god, biding their time together. They keep a watchful eye over ETERNATUS' SLUDGE and await for THE BLACK KNIGHT to return.
[break][break][break]

BEEN IN THE DARK SINCE THE DAY WE MET.

---

DzUJlKDc

---

tl;dr:[break]
- in motostoke[break]
- katherine mainly stays in the distortion world over the next decade (mainly after the first year, though)[break]
- grows reclusive / doesn't stay in touch with any1 past the first year, essentially. occasionally shows up to visit PENELOPE LIVY , ollie morales & Melody Miro .[break]
- often chooses not to protect the city. when she does interfere, she does so in the dark.[break]
- forges a whip in the distortion world (THIEF)[break]
- waiting for eternatus / necrozma tm[break]
- 1 salac

[attr="class","bottom"]@ RUSTED SWORD [break]

[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

It is empty.
[break][break]
Far too empty.
[break][break]
The silence whispers of solitude, and their realm appears as a canvas untouched by the brushstrokes of existence. No floating islands are found, no whirlpools or upside-down waterfalls— nothing.
[break][break]
For it is still so eerily empty.
[break][break]
The Malevolent finds little solace in the familiar isles that slowly come into existence with each subsequent visit of hers, for they weren't here before. They serve as further proof that this place-- wherever they were-- wasn't real. "Is this another simulation..?" She muses aloud, sharing the intimate thought with her sole confidant. Some things never change- even in simulations. Even in other universes. Even in different timelines, maybe.
[break][break]
Giratina shares one of its thoughts with its avatar when she makes her final trip back, warning her of the pools of toxin and their supposed connection to its sibling.
[break][break]
The ringing of the bells heralds the imminent arrival of the Zapdos and its army. Katherine merely eyes the beast with a disinterested stare, having reconciled that, in the grand scheme of things - this likely means very little.
[break][break]
They were only here to glean as much information as possible. Nothing else.
[break][break]
The Pokemon that takes to the stage is her Nihilego, a creature all too familiar with dealing with poisoned and enthralled creatures. It shines a bright DAZZLING GLEAM in an attempt to blind the nimble bird, hoping to disrupt it in some form.

---

qLLxlWti+10

---

tl;dr:[break]
- in motostoke[break]
- distortion realm stuff happens - she questions if this is another simulation before giratina mentions its sibling[break]
- comes back in time for zapdos to appear[break]
- releases nihilego to attack it with a dazzling gleam[break]
- 2 salacs

[attr="class","bottom"]@ RUSTED SWORD [break]

[break]