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

text;

[amaure]

Well, isn't this an interesting turn.

I suppose my projects may yet prove even more useful in the very near future than previously anticipated. An arms race it is, then. Far is it the first I have ever spearheaded, and I am confident it will not be the last.

[conniemaheswaran]

Project? Color me curious.

[amaure]

Yes, I have been researching the many various ways one might utilize Rotom as a replacement AI and power supply to myriad robotics. Whence I hail, I brought about the technological revolution for my empire, and one such means was through the development of war machina. Or, more specifically, the perfection of what I named magitek armor.

[He sends her over a detailed concept sketch of said armor]

Through my research and toils, I have indeed replicated magitek bits that serve as drones powered by a single Rotom. However, I believe the magitek armor will require far more Rotom to effective function, yet should it become operational, it will serve as quite a force to be reckoned with.

Certainly we could settle for these silly battles between beasts, but what good are these beasts if they cannot stand up to machina that would subjugate them far more simply?

[fingersandteeth]

... *Jesus Christ*. I guess it's time for me to work on my very best Guy Who Didn't Know He Was Working For The Mob act, huh?

[failgoyle]

ok but what if we set up a honeypot for them to find, just something to throw them off the scent

let them think they found what they're looking for and then they move on none the wiser

also are there any rocket jobs not in goldenrod

[fingersandteeth]

I mean there's the big Kanto base in Celadon.

You know, where the guy in charge of the PGC lives.

not here

[fingersandteeth]

[This is the most Final Fantasy bullshit that Steven has ever seen.]

[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]

consider setting something up somewhere they literally have no intel on and wouldn't suspect, just let them stumble into that and realize things are way more widespread than they realize

I mean I could fake network traffic data no biggie; I am still working out what this Porygon can do so maybe it could help me idk

[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.

[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.

[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.

[conniemaheswaran]

I can lend you Case (my Porygon) if yours needs a tutoring, it's really damn good at its job.

[breakyourlife]

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

[conniemaheswaran]

...I'm pretty sure these plans constitute a war crime by themselves, but I also get the feeling that's the point.

I'll see what I can do to help out. Best case is that they see these puppies then turn and run.

[conniemaheswaran]

Please be careful, Tio Steven.

[conniemaheswaran]

If any or all of you elect to do something stupid, I will do my level best to make sure you won't get caught but if they do get you, you're on your own.

[fingersandteeth]

I will. I promise. But if it helps, I am *very* good at the innocent civilian way over his head act. I think I can get Riku to buy it fairly easily--and since I'm just going to be their non-combatant secretary (it's just PR person right now, but I think I can parlay it into being secretary), it's not like I'll ever need to be in two places at once and battling myself.

[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.

[asmywitness]

Ideally we won't be attacking people.

Do you have any Pokemon that know Explode?

[amaure]

Unless there is a truly solid scheme put together, with contingencies in place, little will I waste my time. I would hope that none among us would be so foolish to mere run into the offense without proper planning, but I do suppose there are those whom have proven themselves quite the sort to do just that.

Shall I take part, I will be certain my capture is not possible, so you need not worry for my sake. The others, however...

[conniemaheswaran]

I'll happily take you up on that offer.

[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.

[conniemaheswaran]

If they're really committed to it, I'll do my best to divert the PGC's attention and give them a good window, but after that... I'm not touching this operation with an eleven foot pole.