RED ALERT [text]

[conniemaheswaran]

Guys, I hate to bring down the mood, but we have a HUGE problem. Riku—you know, one of the very first trainers to arrive here, Aurora Leaguer, exceptionally powerful—that Riku apparently knows all about our operations in the Radio Tower. He's been keeping quiet about it, but with our increased activity and the organization of the Pokémon Guardian Corps there's a serious possibility he'll be conducting a raid in the future. He even mentioned it in a conversation with me, here's the proof.

[A video file containing a private conversation between Riku and Connie is attached.]

Everybody there, please please please PLEASE be careful (looking at you, Tio Steven) and see if you can't persuade the admins to move house or at least set up some countermeasures. This is bad news.

Comments

[asmywitness]

I saw it as well. And I really don't think that a bunch of heroic do-gooders masquerading as a functional organisation is going to be able to uproot such a well-established base. If they haven't already, they never will.

I don't plan on joining it myself, but I've started wondering, too. If Riku's so sure Team Rocket is a horrible team that's going to hurt everyone, why don't we prove him right?

There's no point doing anything directly harmful to him, that'll just prove their bias. But it could be worth sending a message that they HAVE been infiltrated. Mess up something important of his for it, to drive home that he's just some dumb kid in over his head, trying to take on the literal mafia with a wish and a prayer.

Hubris calls for nemesis, after all.

Obviously you and Steven won't be involved in it. You two should try and keep up as good a relation with Riku as possible, so we can continue having unsuspected people on the inside. But it might be a bit of fun.

[failgoyle]

did we want this to blow over or escalate into something worse

asking for a friend

[conniemaheswaran]

I have to echo the new guy here. Trying to provoke them is asking for trouble; I've been to his training center a few times and Riku is an absolute monster. He could probably level HQ all by himself if he was really pissed. Our best bet is to infiltrate the PGC, warn our cells if a raid is coming, and try to slow down activity so they think they're winning and let down their guard. We don't want to mess with them.

[asmywitness]

He might be a monster but he's very clearly inexperienced as a leader, and seems like he's running off some mental image of this entire thing being back in its prime - he's very openly not sure how to react to the current iteration of Team Rocket, and making a big public display like this serves the dual purpose of undermining his fledgling hero complex and completely diverting people from investigating the more subtle instigations we're actually capable of.

If it all goes to shit, though, you're fully welcome to a big fat 'I told you so' and as much gloating as you see fit.

[conniemaheswaran]

I'll happily take you up on that offer.

[asmywitness]

You don't have to join in directly if you don't want to, this'd be entirely voluntary.

Even though I'm a private and could probably make you.

...actually, though, how good *are* you with computers? Or like. Hacking into CCTV or whatever.

[failgoyle]

I'm good enough to have run the third largest botnet in the country for a little while

I am basically really good and should also mention that I do my best work when I am not constantly looking over my shoulder for the popo to show so doing whatever from a safe location is A+ better

[asmywitness]

Out of curiosity, how did you get caught? Did the cops trace it back to you?

Not that that's going to be an issue here, I imagine, Jennies are useless beat cops.

If you need a remote connection, maybe we can get one of your Pokemon to hack in for you.

[amaure]

My, my! What a marvelous, if risky, idea.

Here I was considering mere bolstering our defenses, but I feel this will be a fitting partner to such a plan. Truly, I have always found that rooting out such unruliness at the start is far more simpler a task than allowing an infestation to grow. Destabilizing their sense of unity and confidence in themselves and one another will shake the whole foundation.

Mistrust within ones ranks is insidious, and it can very well poison any hope for a bond of brotherhood between them. Community cannot be forged with suspicion darkening their hearts towards one another.

[asmywitness]

There's a phrase I like for situations like this.

Go big or go home.

If it works, we'll be sowing some ridiculously intense chaos at a point where it will fundamentally undermine the team's formation. As well as people working independently on the inside to track things and derail it from there, there's little reason to think there won't be at least some partial net positive in Team Rocket notoriety by the end of it all.

[amaure]

Indeed! However, should we bumble about like fools, it will contrastly bolster their confidence in pursuing our destruction. I know I need not say this, but for the sake of prudence I will: whatever scheme we concoct must needs be foolproof. Well do you and I both know while many within our rank are capable, there are those with damning flaws and a penchant for being shortsighted and reactionary.

Chaos needs to be bred within the ranks of our enemies, not within ourselves. Proper chaos is best sown through carefully laid planning and structured execution. Particularly chaos that should yield the desired results.

We must plan around such possible shortcomings and unreliable variables within our own allies, ere we lead any such charge.

[speedweed]

Say, if you were so concerned about those messing things up. Then perhaps having something of a decoy to divert their attention would do some good?

Admittedly I am the newest here, but I do have quite a history of dealing with this kind of nonsense and it's not as if they would be able to get much out of me if they wished to capture and attempt some form of interrogation.

And I'm quite sure I could frustrate them long enough to string along to keep them diverted.

[asmywitness]

Consider this less of a formal announcement of war and more of a show of interest for those who'd be willing to entertain it. I'll be looking into how we should go about this far more intensely in the near future.

But you've lead me quite thoroughly to believe that you're well and truly experienced in the art of undermining nations and mental conquest. I wouldn't be opposed to your input.

[Sorry Steven, he supposes?]

[fingersandteeth]

I mean, if you're going to do it, do it during their first meeting, somewhere that *isn't where the meeting is*. Do you want to swap Isis and Acatl for the day? I can't be the scary Rocket with the big, bad Xatu if someone else has him and it's not like she *can* go on missions with you. She's much too recognizable. I can keep her shit calmed so she won't worry about you.

[He'll add privately:]

My God, you really *are* such a Summer Courtier.

[asmywitness]

If we do, you might need to keep her in her ball or she'll get antsy and come find me. I hate putting her in the PC but if worst comes to it...

I'll happily take Acatl for you, that ought to throw the scent off you. Not that there was much there, really.

[And private in return:]

I can never tell if that's an insult or not.

[fingersandteeth]

I mean, at some point someone will remember that I *have* a Xatu and that he breeds with your Natu, since we *did* advertise their babies on the network that time. Better to plan ahead.

But right. I can definitely do that.

[Private:]

Only sometimes. Just *goddamn*. Your first instinct really *is* to throw hands.

(I'm smiling fondly, don't worry.)

[asmywitness]

You know Natu and Xatu aren't actually that rare, right? They were worse than Pidgey in Goldenrod, when we went down to Alph. It's fine that people know you have one.

[Private]

I don't like heroes. They deserve to get taken down a couple of pegs.

[breakyourlife]

if ur going 2 mess up something important then go 4 the face

[asmywitness]

Ideally we won't be attacking people.

Do you have any Pokemon that know Explode?

[breakyourlife]

dude its the best way 2 send a massage

Stink Bomb knows it but u better have some good snacks if u want him 2 use it

[asmywitness]

It's *one* way. There are definitely smarter ones.

It's not necessary, anyway, I was mostly curious. Though Poison Gas and a fire move would functionally do the same thing, so there's some fun trivia for you.

[zenryokubatankyu]

Y'need any more help?
Knocking these kids down a peg or two sounds great.

[asmywitness]

I feel like this is one where the more people there are, the more likely multiple someones will get caught.

On the other hand, nothing like some extra hands to help spread the message.

Do you have anything that can teleport?

[zenryokubatankyu]

Good point...I don't wanna get caught.

But the extra hands bit is also important and I can definitely do that.

Mhm! My abra, Thinkina! She can teleport me real fast!

[asmywitness]

Excellent. You might want to practice teleporting a bit, it makes people nauseous if they're not too used to it.

Not gonna lie, I'm looking forward to seeing what people do.