For a brief moment, it would seem that Desiree's sudden advantage had been a fluke. Prime's ancient power managed to stagger the crystalized fae, and Oscar snickered as a glimmer of hope began to flicker within him. That hope was dashed as the creature retaliated with an Ancient Power of its own, encrusted with the very diamonds that lined its body.

Oscar's smile faded, his body shivering as the volley approached. Desiree's words meant nothing to him, they were as hollow as the lyrics of her last album (note that he has not listened to any of her music but will always claim he has during critical discussions). This show of force though, a tangible threat that seemed insurmountable, now that gave him pause. So much so that Prime needed to shove Oscar forward in order to get him to start running.

Rocks sailed past the two of them as they tried to evade the barrage. Every time a boulder threatened to hit Oscar, Prime would jump in the way and take the strike upon its body. Stone after stone shattered against it, causing its armor to dent and warp. Nevertheless, it would not hesitate to protect its master over and over again until they could reach safety. A massive stone along their path would provide the cover they sorely needed, and so Oscar and Prime hurriedly dove behind it.

As he tried to catch his breath, Oscar would assess their current situation. It was less than ideal, to say the least; they had gone from having the clear upper hand to being harshly outmatched. Looking over Prime drove this point home, its incredibly durable armor had gone from pristine to being covered in marks and dents. If the fight dragged on, it could spell the death for the both of them.

Prime looked to its master, determined to continue the battle no matter the odds. The creature's raw power was extraordinary, but mentally Prime had the upper hand. With a little strategy and careful calculation, perhaps it could survive long enough for this monster's mega evolution to fade. Then they would be on much more even ground. Oscar was not as confident as his trusted champion. He did not wish for Prime to die fighting a hopeless battle--more importantly he did not want to die. No, he could not die here. Not against this pawn! This League peon! He rejected this possibility! All he had to do was use...

Something weighed heavily within Oscar's suit. He clutched at it, hesitating to pull it out even now. It represented a point of absolute desperation, a position Oscar never imagined himself being in. To use this tool was to give in to his fear, to give up on hope and rely solely on his desire to survive. He reached into his suit, hesitating even as his fingers curled around the drive's form. Memories flashed through his head as he looked to Prime, countless moments that proved that this killing machine was more than a tool for war. Every wave hello, every spirited dance, every offbeat attempt to socialize, every moment of affection between them--all of it would be erased should he use this device. Yet if he did not, they would both likely die. When forced to reflect on what he would rather lose, Oscar's choice seemed clear.

He pulled out the device, a black disk drive that emitted a familiar miasma. With a heavy heart and resolute tone, Oscar gave the order. "Prime, open you drive port."

Prime stared at the drive, its sensors immediately recognizing the Shadow energy that lay dormant within. It was not hard for it to guess that should it accept the drive, it would cause innumerable alterations to its programming. Oscar had long worked out Prime's original directive: to destroy all semblances of shadow pokemon and nekrozma influence within the material realm. Yet even now its hatred for Shadows boiled within, and the very idea of letting such vile power within its circuits made it shiver. It looked back to its master, distraught from the very suggestion. Even still, it trusted Oscar. He had always been kind to Prime, and deep within its cold carapace the Genesect was certain that Oscar cared about it. So if it truly desired not to do something, surely he would accept Prime's choice. It shook its head, and for the first time ever it refused a direct order from its master. It would be the first of its kind to do so.

Oscar was shocked, shaking as Prime's disobedience. On one hand, it was an amazing advancement in its AI learning--but on the other hand they would die if Prime did not accept the drive. Oscar wanted to accept Prime's choice, he truly did. He wanted to throw the Shadow drive down and crush it, a pure display of his admiration for his Genesect. Yet his desire to live outweighed the love he felt for his pokemon. With a shaking hand, Oscar reached into his suit and pulled out a remote that would temporarily deactivate Prime. He would have to insert the drive manually.

The instant Prime watched Oscar pull its override remote out of his suit, time for the cyborg would freeze. Its mind went back to last night, sifting through laptops and desktops in search of the information it desired. All it needed to do to access a computer's files was insert its claw directly into its circuitry, thus allowing it to Download all of the data off of the hardware. It read through file after file, all of them incapable of answering the had burned within it for weeks: What was a Genesect? Perhaps if it had given up here, it would not have learned the terrible truth about its creation.

Unfortunately, Prime had been extremely thorough. Eventually it would locate a forgotten hard drive that had been tossed into a junk drawer. It had likely been wiped before hand, but retrieving the latent data within would be no challenge for Prime. What it pulled out was a report written by Lulu Flint for something called Project Genesis. Here Prime would read how Rocket was able to create other Genesect, using Prime's creation as a template. Genesect were made from the discarded bodies of pokemon, compiled together into a cybernetic monstrosity of pure destruction. Prime found this discovery distressing. It was not an individual, it was an amalgamation of dead parts squeezed into a shell made from other dead parts. All of its memories from before its rampage on the sub were lies, left over from the actual pokemon that lived full lives before being cut down by Rocket. Prime forced itself to delete the file, clutching its head with its claws. It began to shake violently, an unfamiliar feeling rising from within. It felt similar to its previous bouts of rage, but it was different. It was harsher, and it came with a sudden swelling from behind its eyes. The swelling became too much, and Prime would be forced to open ports beneath its optic bulbs to relieve the pressure.

Something cool began to run down Prime's face, down its claws and then its arms. It brought its claws down to examine them, discovering that what it was leaking was in-fact water. It did not know why it was doing this, but the expulsion was strangely helping it feel better. And so it sat there, letting water fall from its eyes until it felt normal.

It could not imagine a more cruel act, to create a pokemon entirely from the dead. To allow a living creature to experience and learn but denying it individuality. To Prime it had become clear that humanity was a depraved species that had no respect for pokemon. It had thought Oscar to be a level above other humans, but today it had learned that he could be just as cruel. What he could not control, he would bend with force--but Prime would not bend. Not this time.

Prime slashed Oscar's hand, destroying the remote before he could even use it. Oscar stared as his hand began to gush blood, slowly raising his gaze back to Prime. He was more than taken aback, he was outright stunned. Prime felt the same, unsure what to do after this act of defiance. No...it knew exactly what to do. It was not a drone, it was not a stitched together abomination meant to be controlled. It was an individual. It was a Genesect.

Yet there was more for it to learn, but it would not learn anything here. Not under the watch of a human. Prime abruptly launched into the sky, flying straight into the clouds as fast as it could. Oscar watched as Prime's form became smaller and smaller, before disappearing completely.

He could not comprehend what had just happened. Had Prime--left him? Oscar's entire body shook, and he found himself unable to support his own weight. He fell to his knees, staring upward into the sky. He hoped that Prime would return, that it would turn right around and come back to him. Yet as the clouds shifted, he could see no sign of it. The truth slowly set in, and Oscar would drop the drive as he fell forward. Catching himself on his palms, Oscar would hold back tears as reality coiled around him like a noose. "What have I done..." He whispered spitefully, his hands clenching into dirt-filled fists. "Prime forgive me...please come back...please."

Of course, he would receive no answer.

Notes
--See other posts for Oscar's fit.
--Prime and Oscar duck behind a boulder as Diance continues to overwhelm them. Desperate and fearful of death, Oscar attempts to force Prime to use his Shadow drive. Unwilling to take on such corruption, Prime rejects Oscar's orders and flees the scene. Oscar is left alone, filled with regret.

10 MP per IC post.
50 MP for getting your Pokemon knocked out in your prelude thread (departure counting as a KO approved by shiv).
50 MP have your character be injured by another's pokemon directly or indirectly.
50 MP showcase a meaningful moment between your character and their Pokemon.
50 MP include a motif or recurring symbol of some kind in your thread (drones)

DESIREE BLOOMS

Oscar tried not to be hurt as Howard ranted before being put to sleep. He knew that his friend did not mean the vitriol he was slinging Oscar's way, though that did not make Howard's words any less sharp. Oscar took a deep breath, acknowledging that Howard was not within his right mind. As Howard slowly fell into a slumber, Oscar's hurt feelings began to rapidly heal. Without his screaming, this whole process would be a lot easier.

Oscar observed the rest of the procedure with great interest, though the doctors would make it clear that fully removing the suit would take hours. Oscar accepted this fact, and took what scraps they already had back to his lab. Oscar took the time to study the fractured armor, attempting to find where they had failed. What seemed to be the issue was that the Dyanaenergy of Registeel's mysterious blast clashed heavily with the Infinity Energy within the Sygna Suit. It basically rendered its protection useless, which would answer some of the questions Howard shouted while he was awake.

After studying the scraps for several hours, Oscar would receive a call from the doctor overlooking Howard's procedure. They had finished removing the scraps of the suit, and Howard was no bandaged and resting in a private room. Oscar left right away, ignoring his body's cry for sleep. He had gone without properly recovering from his own time fighting Registeel. Resting would take too long, there was far too much to do in the wake of that mighty battle. Plus, he would not be able to sleep until he knew Howard was okay.

Oscar was led into Howard's room, and the wary scientist would wait patiently for Howard to wake up. The archeologist was quite a sight, almost appearing like Shred with how bandaged up he was. At last the forlorn admin would awaken, his voice much softer as he recognized Oscar. Oscar knew Howard would be alright, but seeing him awake brought him such a sense of peace that he could not help but chuckle. "Hey man." Oscar managed through a sigh of relief.

"Hey man, you had me worried for a second. Just a second though." Oscar pulled a chair right up to Howard's bedside and took a seat. "I have answers, when you're ready. I'd ask how you were feeling but that's pretty self explanatory."

@howard

You could not imagine the baffling rage that went through Oscar when the Galarian version of Zapdos tramped into the ruins of Mauville's power plant. The oversized chicken had made itself right at home, only minutes after Oscar and THEO BECKETT drove off its Kanto counterpart. It was so absurd that Oscar could not help but laugh; a bitter cackle that hid enraged tears.

Oscar left without even trying to encounter the ruins' newest parasite. He did not plan on staying away for long though, as he saw fit to push this new Zapdos out as well. It was the principle of the matter, he could not standby while yet another variation of Zapdos squatted on the grave of his dreams! Yet there was a catch, the Rocket higher ups had announced that sparing matches against Galarian Zapdos were now permitted by members of SPECTRA and other capable members. With one fateful memo, the new Zapdos was turned from a nuisance into a Rocket asset. Joy.

Oscar could not simply drive Zapdos off, not when Rocket was relying on it for training. But should it accidentally die during a routine spar, well surely no one would be able to blame Oscar. Accidents happen after all. Very aggressive accidents. Yet he needed a capable Rocket by his side in order for the fight to seem legitimate. Oscar had struggled to locate such a grunt, until a familiar name crossed his path.

Oscar did not know that Rowan Wrynn had rejoined the organization. He had assumed Rowan would be satisfied working with the likes of the Aether Foundation, yet there he was upon the grunt roster once more. Oscar had never sent an invitation out so quickly, he could not think of a better trainer to accompany him on his quest for vengeance. Oscar awaited his companion at the power plant's ruins, staring resolutely at the site of his own downfall.

It was more than likely that Prime could have held its own against this legendary geode, but that went out the window was soon as it Mega Evolved. If Desiree could have seen Oscar's face behind his mask as the mega stone was held aloft, it would have made all of her pain worthwhile. Oscar had stared down literal gods, fought within multiple war fronts, and faced death numerous times--but he had never before felt such fear as when he witnessed the Diancie cut through Prime's Techno Blast.

Prime too was taken aback, completely unprepared as the volley of diamonds came hurtling toward it. They had sliced so cleanly, right through one of the most powerful pokemon attacks in existence. As the diamonds raged against Prime's armor, it would struggle to withstand the power of love. Even as it Downloaded the Diancie's strength in order to adjust its own, it could only confirm matching a fraction of this incredible energy.

Prime's body deflected the stones, but Oscar could still feel the force behind the attack from his position. It was awe inspiring, and absolutely terrifying. The storm faded, and as Oscar looked upon Prime's scratched up armor he could not help but shake as every ounce of confidence drained from his body. Prime hunched slightly, struggling to adjust its posture after such a titanic blow. Oscar staggered backward--were they screwed?

His secret weapon weighed heavily within his suit pocket. Oscar had hoped not to use it but this--thing was too much...

No, Oscar had only brought it as an emergency precaution. There was no way Prime could not stand up to this creature, not when it has had the upper hand this entire time. Oscar clenched his fists, laughing at the woman's request for his name. "Screw you and your diamond. Prime, unleash your true strength!"

Prime had not mastered the technique requested by Oscar, but it would nevertheless attempt it with all of its remaining strength. It could not fall here, not when it was duty bound to protect its master. Prime may not comprehend love, but it still understood loyalty. Prime let out a screech as its body exuded a peculiar power, as ancient as the Infinity Energy that surged through Diancie. Chunks of earth would begin ripping themselves away, floating around the screeching cyborg. These packed rocks grew tighter and tighter, an aura of primordial strength forcing them into long lost forms. When this power as at its apex, Prime thrust out its claw to send the rocks careening toward Diancie and its trainer.

Notes
--See above posts for Oscar's fit.
--Mega Diancie scares the shit out of Oscar and damages Prime, yet Oscar refuses to use the Dark Drive just yet. Instead he commands Prime to use Ancient Power in retaliation.

10 MP per IC post.
50 MP have your character experience great fear, hatred, envy, or have a grudge worsen.

DESIREE BLOOMS

Under circumstances such as Howard's, Oscar would normally visit after the completion of whatever procedure needed to occur. Yet this particular incident involved a--niche curiosity of the disturbed scientist. Oscar had missed out on the advent of Sygna Suits, at the time he had been busy trying not to die. Even after his return though, he found himself disinterested in the technology. He was fixated on other matters, too busy to spare time for what he saw to be elaborate costuming.

His perception changed once Howard had asked him to repair his own Sygna Suit. Being hands on with the tech piqued Oscar's curiosity, and he now found himself craving a suit of his own. To this end, he sought to absorb as much information as possible about these battle garments--and Howard's grotesque undressing provided an ample opportunity to do so. Plus he wanted to provide emotional support.

Oscar likely failed in the latter, too focused on the procedure itself to comfort Howard. It was not that he did not care, he just did not know what to say that would make this hell any better. Oscar folded his arms, discomforted by the crinkling of his hazmat suit. Why did the material have to be so loud?

As Howard threw out pointed questions that Oscar did not know how to answer, he would eventually look to one of the doctors. "Shouldn't he be out for this? His body is gonna go into shock if this keeps up as-is." Persuaded either by Oscar's inquiry or Howard's demented screaming, one of the doctors would prepare a syringe of emergency anesthesia. As that same doctor moved to inject the restrained Howard, Oscar would shoot his friend a thumbs up.

"You're doing great, see ya on the other side!"

@howard

As expected, their prey would eventually be cornered. As Desiree came to a stop, so too did Prime. As the flames roared around them, Oscar would slide off of Prime's back, and the Genesect would unfurl into its regular form. Standing several feet from the trapped gym leader, the duo acted as an impenetrable barrier. There was no escape.

By now Oscar's fiendish delight had faded. He had believed Desiree to be the epitome of everything that was wrong with the League, but now he saw the truth. She was a worthless pawn, a truly pitiful fatality of the League's rigid morality. She continued to speak drivel at Oscar, no doubt a vain attempt to get him to show mercy. Unfortunately he was unmoved, resolute in his own beliefs. He was unwilling to listen to any more of her unfounded bile, "We're done here, finish her."

Prime was more than happy to move on from here. This whole misadventure had been a waste of their time, and as it began to reflect on humanity's cruelty it now found itself with a great need to reexamine the character of its master. In the end it always believed Oscar knew best, but his judgement tended to degrade in quality when given the opportunity to feel powerful. This could lead to problems in the future, if they were not careful.

Or perhaps it would lead to problems now.

Prime had taken only a step before being met with a brilliant light. Neither it nor Oscar noticed Desiree pull out the pokeball from her fateful box, and thus the introduction of a brilliantly shining pokemon took them both by surprise. Oscar was forced to briefly shield his eyes, raising his arm to lessen the intensity of the newcomer's glow. Prime stared dead on, unsure what to make of this powerful presence. Oscar lowered his arm as his eyes grew acclimated to the light, his expression displaying a twinge of uncertainty from behind his mask. He had no idea what this thing was--and that would instill the seed of fear.

"Kill it!" He commanded abruptly. "Kill it now!" Prime's cannon charged, once again unleashing a Techno Blast against its new mysterious foe.

Notes
--See a previous post for Oscar's fit.
--Genesect uses Techno Blast on its amazing new opponent! Only good things can come of this.

10 MP per IC post

DESIREE BLOOMS

Oscar and Unnamed Starmie returned to their cooking space with a new challenge: Create a signature Unovan dish. This would prove to be a struggle conceptually, as Oscar had only been to Unova once with skyler dross and they were promptly barred from entering the country again. It can not be too hard though, right? It was just burgers and fries or whatever.

Wait, no that will not do. Everyone would be trying to make burgers, just like the sushi! He had to choose something that would help him stand out, but what? While Oscar pondered intensely, the Starmie with no name had already gotten to work. It was very familiar with Unovan cuisine, having served as a head chef within Castelia City before coming into Oscar's service. That's right, the nameless Starmie has a history all its own. It does not need a name to have an identity!

Using its Psychic abilities, the Starmie Stranger began heating a pot of water and sizzling some bacon. Once the water was boiling, the obscure star would place four eggs into the pot and cover. It then gathered various vegetables, once again slicing them up with its Rapid Spin. As the starmie began slicing up the bacon and now hard boiled eggs, Oscar finally realized what was happening and paid attention.

He was a little aghast as the inconspicuous starmie gathered all of the ingredients in a bowl and began psychically mixing them together. Has it always been this talented? Did Oscar need to be here at all? As the mixing finished, Chef Starmie nudged the bowl toward Oscar. Oscar examined the dish carefully, observing that it seemed to be some sort of salad. It was not a salad he recognized though, seemed more like a chef specialty or something. A Chef Salad, if you would. That would have to do.

Oscar brought his dish before the judges and awaited their judgement.

JLxqook3

A flash of colorful light steals Oscar's gaze, the pale man looking up with inquisitive elation. "Oh--the fireworks have started." Oscar let go of Priam's hands to face the display, watching with amusement as blast after blast took over the sky. He was not sure how it started, but it felt--right. Being here with the person he cared about most in Hoenn, simply watching the fireworks.

Was that right? Hm, Oscar supposed it was, Oscar cared about Priam more than even himself--which is saying something. Oscar usually had his guard up around men, unable to allow himself the small comfort of intimate company. Yet as he stood beside Priam, he felt so very secure. Perhaps more safe than ever before.

As the fireworks popped in an increasingly dazzling spectacle, Oscar daringly attempted to grasp one of Priam's hands once more. He was nervous at first, but the warmth of Priam's presence gave him comfort. Like a safety blanket on a cold afternoon.

priam conrad

The Florges fell, and Prime would imprudently step over its mangled body. It still had work to do, this trainer would need to be dispatched in order to proceed toward the city. Yet as Prime approached, the woman would flee--challenging Prime and Oscar to follow. Prime stopped, watching the woman run deeper into the woods. It saw no reason to chase her, she has taken herself out of the equation. They may now freely enter the city.

Oscar chuckled as he passed by the encroaching flames, unfazed by the inferno's growing reach. As he reached Prime, he would tap the cyborg on the head with his knuckles. "Go into hoverboard form, we can keep up with her easily from the air." Prime turned to face its master, tilting its head at his peculiar request. There was no need to further pursue the girl, yet Oscar wished to anyway?

Indeed, Oscar was not done with Desiree. Having a gym leader on the back-foot had filled him with a sadistic glee, it would be such a shame to let an opportunity to further break down a League underling go to waste. Yet Prime did not understand its master's motive, and it would point toward the city in protest.

Oscar scoffed, dropping his wartime persona for but a moment. "What's the deal dude? I gave you an order, fuckin' do it." Prime lowered its arm, pausing as it attempted to once more understand its master's logic. Perhaps it was just human nature to be barbarous within times of war. Prime found it--distasteful. It reminded it too much of the drones, mindlessly committing violence for its own sake. However, Prime trusted its master and would do as it was told.

It compressed itself into Hoeverboard mode, allowing Oscar to mount its flattened back. As Oscar stepped aboard, he would raise a hand to his ear and press into a communication device. "All Genesect platoons should proceed forward. The way is clear." The idle swarm sprang to life, flying above the canopy toward Petalburg's borders. Meanwhile, Prime would rise into the air and take off after the fleeing woman (Magnet Rise).

The duo flew past crumbling trees and seething flames, easily locating their target as she aimlessly charged. As they hovered above her, Oscar would begin taunting their foe. "Look at her go! I wonder where she is trying to run off to, considering all the fire in the way!" Oscar laughed, with Prime leisurely keeping pace with Desiree. "Let's help her along, Magnet Bomb! Attack style B--no, C." Prime followed directions, its head tilting downward slightly to allow a salvo of rockets to launch from its cannon.

Attack style C called for the rockets to be aimed around the target, rather than directly at it. This would cause the resulting explosions to corral Desiree forward, hopefully increasing her panic. Oscar laughed at the display, relishing in his chance to torment what he saw to be a haughty fool--in over her head. "Feel free to give up whenever! You have no chance of escaping, you might as well be dead already! Prime, faster! I wanna be right on her tail!" Prime attempted to increase its speed, hovering within a claw's distance of Desiree's heels. "Look at what your loyalty has done for you! Would you say it's been worth it?! Pathetic!"

As what could barely be called a chase continued, Prime would reflect upon the cruelty of mankind. It did not understand why its master delighted in such pointless endeavors, nor why humanity as a whole tended to enjoy frivolous brutality. It had always known its master to be kind, although he has always been pragmatically efficient when it came to dispatching their enemies. This savage undertaking was unlike Oscar, Prime pondered what could have changed.

Perhaps--nothing at all.

Notes
--Oscar's fit.
--Prime is ready to depart for the city once Desiree runs off, but Oscar had other plans. Prime is commanded to give chase, and while it was reluctant it would eventually follow orders. As they chased Desiree, Oscar would use his rare position of power to taunt the fleeing gym leader. Prime is confused by this unusually cruel display, and reflects on why Humanity as a whole seemed to enjoy violence.
--With Desiree distracted, Oscar dispatched the rest of the Genesect army to Petalburg.

10 MP per IC post.
25 MP for knocking out another Pokemon in your prelude thread.
50 MP have your character cast doubt on another's confidence/allegiances/beliefs, etc
50 MP have your character make a regrettable decision.

DESIREE BLOOMS

Prime pulled back as his strikes rip through the delicate flower. With a fluid jerk of its arms, it would fling the blood that dripped off of its claws toward the ground. Oscar stared forward as the deluded woman claimed that she would take their lives. It was pitiful really, and Oscar would not humor her with a response. She was just a bump in the round, undeserving of further interest.

As the Florges prepared another attack, Oscar would provide Prime with a simple instruction. "Push through and end this shit show." Prime obeyed its master's orders, standing still as the Moonblast hurtled toward its position. The beam smashed into the Genesect, pushing it back as its magical power attempted to burn it into ash. However, Prime's Steel body endured against the flushed blast. As it weathered the attack, its systems would begin adjusting itself to further endure the move's strength (Download).

Prime then began to stomp forward, striding through the beam as if it were nothing more than a heavy wind. It stood tall, displaying its indomitable power for all to see. The genesect platoons that watched from above had no emotions to speak of, yet something deep within their diseased programming flickered briefly as they watched the first of their kind boldly march through what had killed so many beforehand. It would be inspirational, if only they could feel such a thing.

As Prime reached its target, it would not hesitate to attempt a finishing blow. A cold, thoughtless slice toward the Florges's face would surely bring this battle to a brisk conclusion (Fell Stinger). An unceremonious end, just as a drone deserved.

Notes
--Oscar's fit.
--Prime tanked the Moonblast and marched toward the Florges to hopefully deliver another Fell Stinger.

10 MP Per IC post.
50 MP showcase your own character's strength(s) meaningfully.

DESIREE BLOOMS

Oscar's eyes flared, his upper body leaning forward as he began to shout at--of all people--THEO BECKETT. "I saved your life! You were going to die, and I saved you! I had to choose what was more valuable to Rocket--you, or revenge against a fuckin' bird! Be pissed if you want, but I chose you!"

Oscar paused to catch his breath, he had not yelled like that in a very long time. It felt cathartic in a way, unleashing the rage he had pent up from losing Zapdos. At least in part. Still, this left him with the problem of a very angry Beckett. If Oscar wanted to walk away alive, he needed to make his position clear.

As his body calmed, Oscar let go of the railing and stepped forward several steps. It was a show of faith, that even after the nonsense he just pulled Oscar still trusted his Underboss. At least enough to have an actual conversation. Oscar used a now free hand to push his wet bangs out of his eyes. "Do not mistake my choice for cowardice. I fully intend to track down Zapdos and finish what we started today. Though we should use the benefit of this down time to even the odds. Perhaps we can find something that will match its power."

Oscar thought for a moment, trying to think of anything he could suggest to fit this role. What his mind came up with was--unexpected, but from the look on his face it could be gathered that this sudden realization excited him. "Or--we can surpass it! Death incarnate once provided Rocket with its loyalty. I have an idea that might regain its favor, I'll just need a little time."

Oscar stepped forward again, staring into Theo's eyes with unwavering resolve. "We made a clear message today, that any legendary pokemon that thinks it can take advantage of Rocket will face dire consequences. It isn't enough though, Zapdos needs to die for what it's done to me. You were right all along Theo, let me help."

Through smoke and shadow Oscar and Prime would descend, just as Desiree requested. As his target came into view, Oscar could not help but let out a chuckle--distorted by the voice changing technology within his mask. It was both quaint and fitting to find a fresh faced gym leader, no doubt believing that the defense of Petalburg was a necessary part of her glorified coaching job. He noted that he should grab a badge off of her corpse once this was all through.

Oscar raised his arms into mocking shrug as the pink haired lass cried her crocodile tears and spoke of stakes. Oscar responded in kind, his distorted voice crackling with every bitter syllable. "Why must your kind stand in our way? Hoenn is poisoned by the incompetence of your League, and it needs to be purged if the region is going to be saved. Your 'higher stakes' would be trivial if Rocket were at the helm."

The reflection of the growing flames bounced across Oscar's mask, its stalwart expression of destined death staring down at Desiree. He found her apparent fury amusing, Oscar had yet to do anything to her directly yet the hatred within her eyes was unmistakable. That was alright, in this moment Oscar hated her too. As far as he was concerned, she was a frivolous obstacle. A complete waste of his most valuable resource: time.

Oscar's lax appreciation of his opponent's flaring emotions would allow the forest's warden to make the next move. Oscar grunted as the Florges built up a storm of petals, tapping on Prime's head once again. "Get out of the way."

Prime had been fixated on the body of a nearby Genesect, split in half no doubt thanks to their current foe. It was crawling in place, hopelessly attempting to reach Petalburg. It was so single minded in its endeavor, was it aware that it was as good as dead? No, unlike Prime and its siblings these Genesect had no mind at all beyond their directives. Yet they were very likely created using the same methods...

Prime's mind returned to the night before, the details of its late odyssey replaying in vivid detail. Prime had abused the freedom allowed by Oscar to enter the sub, and then exploited the trust Rocket had in it to reach the laboratories uncontested. The labs were all spotless and sterile, but Prime knew that the dark answers it sought were held within their walls. It just had to dig deep enough...

As Prime refused to respond, Oscar would groan as the deluge of petals would quickly fall upon them. Oscar had no choice to jump off of Prime, they were at least close enough to the ground to allow such a maneuver. Oscar rolled as he hit the ground below, settling into a kneeling position before looking up at Prime. He would have preferred it to avoid damage entirely, but nevertheless Oscar was confident that Prime could easily weather this storm.

As the petals cut across Prime's body, it would awake from its day dream. It swayed back and forth in a brief panic, attempting to re-calibrate where it was and what was happening. As its eyes focused in on the attacking Florges, Prime would regain its composure and unfurl out of its hover form. Gravity pulled Prime downward through the storm, and it would slam one of its claws into the soil to brace its kneeling landing. As the storm faded above its head, Prime would slowly rise to its full height. Its paint was chipped across its body, yet it seemed no less determined to fight. Oscar walked up behind Prime, satisfied in his champion's ability to endure. They were a lot alike in that way--though opposites since Oscar was not made of steel and Prime had very little emotional stability. Point was, they were able to withstand incredible hardship and come out the other side stronger. Their continued partnership was a testament to the invincible spirit of progress.

As Desiree asserted another request for them to withdraw, Oscar would provide a curt answer: "No."

Prime charged forward, its claws poised to slam upon the enemy Florges with maximum ferocity (Fell Stinger).

Notes
--Oscar's Fit
--Prime was riddled with razor sharp petals but endured the onslaught. It landed on the ground and attacked Florges with Fell Stinger.

10 MP per IC post.
50 MP have an antagonistic exchange of dialogue between your character and another writer's character or NPC.
50 MP have your character's Pokemon symbolize or represent in some way, the condition of your character.
DESIREE BLOOMS

Oscar stared at his ingredients shelf, unsure how to proceed. He was not a chef, so it was an anomaly why he had chosen to enter this cooking competition. Maybe his addiction to contests made him blind to premise, thus dooming Oscar to partake in a contest with which he had zero skill. Then again, he did alright in the boba contest. Perhaps he shall pull off a similar miracle, although this time absolutely successful.

Oscar was unfamiliar with Kanto cuisine, with the majority of his knowledge centering on sushi. He was reluctant to make such a dish though, as he was certain that it would be very common among his fellow contestants. Yet as he struggled to think of an alternate dish, Oscar decided to say 'fuck it' and go for the easiest option.

He pulled out rice, seaweed, fresh Magikarp, and cucumber. For the cucumber and Magikarp, he would look to his shiny starmir--whose name escaped him thanks to their relatively recent addition to his team. "Uh hey star man, cut up the fish and the cucumber--please." The starmie would obey, Spinning Rapidly like a buzz saw before laying into its assigned ingredients. Meanwhile, Oscar prepared the seaweed and rice so that he may easily wrap the diced fish and cucumber to create a lovely sushi roll. With his dish finished, Oscar would hastily drop off his dish and hope for the best.

TAre5omC