Destiny Village ~ Chip's Lab

[Negrek]

"Huh." Nate peered through the telescope, trying to make out what was on the surface of the moon. Was it... glowing? "There's definitely something there. Dunno what, but... why don't you take a look?"

He scrambled down from the stool so Silver could look into the telescope, once Chip brought the right attachment.

 

[Namohysip]

Silver peered inside. "...Yeah, you know, that is odd. Does the moon have a dark spot? A lot darker than the rest."

"Dark spot? What do you mean?" Chip changed the attachments so he could take a look next. "I don't see anything..."

"It's there. At the bottom corner."

"Circles don't have corners."

Silver looked like he was about to smack Chip on his floating head.

 

[Negrek]

"I ain't never seen one up there before, but like I said, I ain't really checked. Did it look like it was glowing to you, or was that just me?"

It had been a long time since Nate had tried reaching out to Diyem for help, but it was worth a shot. He was back in business, right? Diyem? When you were checking around for distortions and shit, did you notice anything weird about the moon?

 

[Namohysip]

...The moon?

"I don't really see anything weird," Chip said. "Are you sure there isn't, like, some kind of dust on the lens or something? Wait, no, then I would see it..."

The moon is too far for me to detect things. But I do see a dot that shouldn't be there. It feels like Shadows... or something related.

Chip pulled back. "I don't see it, sorry. It's just the moon."

 

[Negrek]

"Oh, fuck's sake," Nate said, rubbing at his face. "Of course he can't see it, same as he couldn't see shades or none of that. It's that weird invisibility bullshit coming back again. That's why Cresselia didn't notice nothing. And that probably means Jirachi won't be able to do much for us, either. It's kinda weird, though." He gave Silver a sideways look. "I thought being able to see that shit was a Team Spectrum kinda thing. Surprised you can do it, too."

Regardless, there probably wasn't much more they could do here. "Any chance you could see about making a more powerful telescope?" he asked Chip. "Or has Jirachi got a better one? We probably want to get a better look at this if we can, see exactly what's going on up there."

And he sent another brief question to Diyem: Yeah, it's probably shadows. Cibus people can't see it. Just wondering, what do you think might happen if somebody hit the moon with a fucking massive Blacklight attack?

 

[Namohysip]

...I have no idea. But if I'm assuming what you're implying is true... the residual effects might remain there for a time. Blacklight doesn't usually last that long, though... Was this from that final attack Joule made? I was told about this.

"I'll look into contacting Jirachi," Chip said.

"Seeing Blacklight is a you-guys thing?" Silver asked, frowning. "Well, I can see it. Maybe it's because I'm... related to Giovanni, or something."

 

[Negrek]

Too many conversations to keep track of. Nate screwed his eyes shut for a moment, focusing on what he was hearing from Diyem. That's what Cresselia was guessing, he thought back. I didn't see where his attack went. but I guess he fired it... up. Do you think maybe he unleashed a fuckton of shades on the moon? They'd stick around, right? And, after a moment of thought, If there was some way for you to get up there, could you, like, absorb the shadows or some shit? Would that power you up a bit?

"Thanks, Chip," Nate said. "That'd help a lot. How's the pokéball research coming, by the way?"

And finally... Silver. "That's what I thought, anyhow. You're right, though. Giovanni must be able to see it, too. Maybe it's because you're related, or maybe it's got something to do with you being exposed to shadow, like being in that... that machine and all. It's interesting, anyhow."

 

[Namohysip]

Thankfully, Diyem was the faster one to reply.

I don't know. This isn't... normal for me to consider. I largely ignored the moon.

Then came Chip, who buzzed nervously. "Well, Zekrom keeps watching everything I do, so it's kind of scary, but I've at least figured out how they work! But we don't really have the materials in this world to replicate it properly... But it's given us a lot of insight on so many other things! So who knows!"

Silver seemed pensive about something, but didn't speak.

 

[Negrek]

Yeah, I wasn't exactly thinking about it, neither. I'll see if Joule's got any idea what he mighta done, at least.

"Damn, that was fast," Nate said to Chip. "You figure out how to detect when they open, or, uhh, whatever Zekrom was going on about? The signal or whatever?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Almost, but only short-range. It's going to take more time to figure out how to do that on a worldwide scan... And I can't even imagine the materials we'd need to do something like that." Chip sank a little. "...But I'll keep at it! And probably ask for a few test subjects. I had asked that Charmeleon, but now that he's dead, I need to find another..."

 

[Negrek]

"Owen, huh? Well, he'll be back pretty soon anyhow. If you need some more help, you can stick me in one of those things, I guess. Have you had any luck with that Mewtwo-tracker?"

 

[Namohysip]

"Yes!" Chip replied, perking up even more. His head rotated rapidly. "The data that Maple, Soda, and the others got from the Moonlit Forest actually worked! I was able to tie it to Karat as a test, but since we know where he is, any other foreign signals we get--that are strong enough, of course--will be enough for us to track Giovanni or that weird Mewtwo down! Right now we have it tuned toward the Mist Continent."

 

[Negrek]

"Great," Nate said. Unless Giovanni cottoned on and simply used the other mewtwo as a decoy, anyhow. "Sounds like things have been getting exciting around here. Hope Zekrom hasn't been giving you a hard time."

He turned back to Silver. "Well, I don't think there's much more we can do here. I'll see if Joule has any idea if he hit the moon, and why whatever he hit it with would still be hanging out up there." Or maybe it wasn't shades at all. After all, there'd still been loads of Blacklight energy hanging around the forest where Giovanni was, and it had only been a few days back.

Silver didn't look like he was entirely paying attention. Awful quiet, wasn't he? "Something up? Don't suppose something here's pinging your memory?" He'd kind of hoped Silver might get over a bit of his amnesia with evolving and all.

 

[Namohysip]

"What?" Silver looked down. He had completely forgotten Nate was there. "...It's nothing," he lied. "Just getting used to being awake again, I guess." He looked north, flexing his wings unconsciously as he floated there. He wondered how far he could fly, or if he could fly well at all.

 

[Negrek]

"Mmm." There was obviously something up with the guy, but he'd had a rough night, what with evolving and getting moonburn and all. Probably best to let him figure things out for a bit. "Well, I'll let you know if I learn anything about the moon situation. Hope it's not gonna be bothering you the whole time. Good luck with the wings and all." And your fucking pokémon, he wanted to say, but no. It was none of his business. And it was... complicated.

None of my fucking business. Nate tried to crush the feeling that he was making excuses, that he ought to be making a lot more noise. What? Fucking scared of getting into it with the fucking moonbat?

Nate shook his head. "Thanks again, Chip," he said, and headed out into the night. He had some thinking of his own to do.

<><><>​

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"It ain't like I've done joint questionin' before or anythin', but I reckon I understand the principles well enough."

Luz sauntered into the lab, some of her usual confidence bleeding back in now that there was a plan. Lexx wasn't exactly her idea of a sworn brother, but he'd surely make himself useful. This could be good!

{Hope all well. Gonna kick Chip about a bit until he fesses up about his misdeeds or we reckon he ain't done any worth carin' about.}

{Oh yeah? That's the inventor porygon, right? Thanks fer gettin' at it . . . an' good luck, Luz. I'll see you soon.}

Yeah, this could be good.

 

[Chibi Pika]

"Can't say I've got any experience myself," Lexx replied with a shrug. "Doesn't strike me as anything the other me would have gotten up to. Doubt I'll be much help on the intimidation side of things, but I might have a few ideas on how to help our Porygon-Z friend slip up." In truth, he really just planned on winging it.

 

[Namohysip]

The team entered the white laboratory. There was no electric smell in the air, so Zekrom probably wasn't present at the moment.

"All right, this time I'm hoping that you'll be able to work with me here, alright?" called Chip from the other end of the lab. He seemed to be talking to someone, but was only getting annoyed grunts and growls from the other side. "No, no, other way! Now, hold still. It won't hurt, I promise! Oh, don't give me that skeptical look! That was just a misfire last ti--oh, hello!"

Chip spun around, alerted in one way or another at their arrival, and floated out from the room that Silver's team had been kept in. "Hey, Lexx. And... Luz?"

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

"Yeah, that's me," said Luz, grinning. "How ya doin', partner? Don't suppose you could spare a minute fer us? Just wanna ask ya some questions, see if y'can help us out."

She raised a brow at the holding room, wondering whether the pokémon there were having a good time being studied by the porygon. She clapped Chip on one of his extremities in a boisterously friendly sort of way, and winked at him.

"Yeah, you don't mind sharin' information in the name of truth-seekin', do ya?"

 

[Chibi Pika]

Lexx gave a small wave. "Heya! Silver's team been keeping you busy? Well... busier? Haven't stopped by in a while, I know--missed the place, wondered if you'd had any cool discoveries lately, feel like sharing 'em?" he rambled casually.

Oh, or there was always the direct route. Apparently Luz was going with that, then.