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Very well. Message sent." GRAY responded to Tristen. He hadn't informed Sub yet, not until Tristen said something, however he did send the message right as he was responding to Tristen, informing Sub of his success. "Well in that case I'll turn off the sensory array in your SNAG for the time being. If you need me you know where I am here." And with that GRAY had nothing else to say.

The trek back to Mesagoza would be uneventful for Tristen, finding his way back to the path and following it all the way to the iconic gates of Mesagoza, passing through the giant doors and entering the city proper. The sun was setting by the time he got to the city, the sun low enough to no longer be visible this close to the city walls, said walls casting long shadows over the city. By the time he got to the academy it would certainly be close to dark having made it back just before night set.

After entering the academy he would once again find himself uninterrupted...or would had until he bumped into a familiar face just outside the elevator. "Oh, hey Tristen." Indi greeted the boy with a wave, his vape clutched in the hand he waved with. "Going up to the dorms?" Indi asked as they stepped in and pushed the button for said floor. Smelling the 'fresh' scent of vape chemicals on Indi and considering the students was coming up from the bottom floor as well Tristen could easily deduce that Indi just came in from having an evening vape session outside.

That said, Tristen might spot two more familiar faces just before entering the elevator, a certain pair of Snagems entering the academy and heading straight for the front desk, Tristen having a clear view of said desk from here in front of the elevator. What were they doing here?

Tristen had plenty to think about as he made his walk back to Mezagoza. The Pokémon were stronger than normal for the area, and he wasn’t sure if the Terastalization process had anything to do with that. To what he was to understand from before, they didn’t necessarily get stronger, it was just that it made their attacks and abilities more potent, which was exclusive to each other. Though his understanding did get turned on its head quite a bit this afternoon, such as to how Pokémon could end up with types different than their natural ones. Tristen knew that as long as he was here, he was going to have to learn more about the terastalization phenomenon than what was gathered. It was, after all, a way of life here.

Tristen would cross the bridge back into Mezagoza and found his way back to town. He would stop by a Pokémon center to submit his larger and back in charge Pokémon back to storage for safe keeping, but not before giving thanks to Magmar in particular once again for their help earlier in the afternoon. He would, however, keep Mienshao for the time being. He would then withdraw the party he had this morning, getting Rookidee, Sprigatito, Litten, Wimpod, and Espeon just as he had before to keep things on the lower key side, never mind his intentions to try to raise them as long as he was here in Paldea. He’d then would make his way around town, hitting up a restaurant to eat at. As he was there, as soon as he finished his meal, he would make the attempt to quickly impromptu get his third still life picture drawn, finding something that seemed still life worthy. A napkin dispenser, on top of a small tray, accompanied by ketchup, sauces, toothpicks, packets of sugar for tea drinks, salt and pepper shaker. Tristen had a window seat that he had to go on as well that he tried to use the scenery outside as part of the still life. Much to Tristen’s chagrin, however…it still wasn’t great to him. The shakers looked too big and took about as much of the tray as the napkin holder did. He didn’t know how to shade all that well to help make it look like there was a faint reflection of the items in the window. The tray did look a bit too small to him as well. Tristen was starting to be a little frustrated by his lack of art talent. Mr. Hassell might not grade on skill, but he feared that he’d mistaken Tristen’s work for a careless, if not thoughtless, rush job, which would more than likely dock points off his grade.

He'd leave the restaurant and back to the academy, making his way back up the steps and back off towards the door, set to just round out the last of his day getting his Pokémon fed and trying to start on the homework Ms. Raifort had due for him a couple of days from now. He’d find himself in the lobby and making his way off for the elevator. Indi was there apparently on his way up as well…after a fresh hit of the vape which made Tristen wince a bit. His canine smelling was ready to tap for mercy. “Hey Indi, yea, I’m heading to the dorms. Still got a bit to do before I go to bed tonight…” he said, waiting on the elevator to make its way down. Tristen then perked up, looking back for a second when he started to hear a commotion. Reno and Sol, just right out of nowhere. A shock to be sure. Two days only had gone by and already more Snagems apart from himself and his adoptive father were here in Paldea, and he heavily doubted it was to deliver the computer he asked for from Sub. Tempting as it was to actually run over and talk to those two, see what was going on, he was told after all not to delve into Snagem matters unless it actually became an immediate threat to the academy in and of itself. It was painful as to not go to check in and see how everything is going but it was what he was told to do. Hopefully nothing comes of it...

Reno would take a moment as he looked between Tristen and Sol, doing his best to determine how exactly they were going to be doing the whole ships passing in the night thing when...they were all going to the elevators that Tristen was at. Pinching the bridge of his nose and taking a deep breath, Reno would slowly walk his way over to the elevators and assume a waiting position beside Tristen and Indi. "Hey there. Mind if we bum an elevator ride with you two? Need to go talk with the director quick. Got a personal project that he can help me gather some information for." Reno told the pair, eyes occasionally drifting over to the floor indicator to see how close their transport might be. As much as he wanted to be direct with Tristen, there was no need to forcibly draw him into this whole works when he was doing his best to do the whole school life stuff. But if he wanted to read into Reno's statements with his own personal knowledge on how Reno tended to operate in Snagem, then who was he to stop him?

Tristen listened to Indi, but found himself looking back again to see Sol and Reno actually approaching the elevator with the two of them, which was honestly surprising. “Mr. Clavell? I didn’t even think he’d still be around at this time in the evening.” Tristen stated, staring in confusion. Who knew what Reno had in mind with this project; but then, he wasn’t aware too much of what Reno was dealing with. Now he was really curious as to why they were here. As the bunch of them made their way onto the elevator, Tristen found himself in the awkward silence between the four of them. Tristen almost wondered if Indi realized who these two were. Though considering that he apparently didn’t realize that Tristen himself was a Snagem, he honestly doubted it. The elevator would find its first destination, the dorm rooms. Tristen would step off behind Indi and once Indi would say his goodbyes, Tristen would reply in kind. “Later, Indi.” Tristen said to the vape addict. He’d turn around and put his hand on the door to make sure that the door didn’t close, at least quite yet. “Hey, uh…if you guys still got some time after you’re done talking to Mr. Clavell, if he’s here that is, mind stopping by my dorm? I got something for you to get to Sub on the way back and I kinda just want to talk about stuff.” He said, finally pulling his hand back off the door to allow them to head up.

Tristen would head off down the halls and off to his dorm, making his way in and closing the door behind him, locking the door. Tristen sighed out a bit, rubbing his eyes a bit in fatigue. It had been a long day. In truth, if it weren’t the fact that he asked the adult Snagems to come see him after they were done if they had a chance, he’d probably head off for bed himself and he’d worry about his homework assignment tomorrow. But then, who knows what he would have had to deal with tomorrow as well. Today was actually pretty busy, probably his busiest day yet here at the academy. It was best to be safer than sorry. Tristen would set his pack down on his desk then pulled off his jacket, putting it down on his bed for the moment. He’d stretch out a bit, unimpeded by the sheer weight what the jacket that he otherwise had trained and battled in provided. He then started one at a time to release his Pokémon out into his dorm, once again to have them just explore the space, play with each other provided they would keep it down, but more importantly to feed them as well.

As soon as the Pokémon were tended to, Tristen made his way back to his desk and sat down at it, pulling out the things he had in there that he needed earlier this afternoon. Trying to parse through what he needed and what he didn’t for tomorrow. As he started to sort through things, he once again pulled out the Tera Orb and took a look at it, staring at it in confusion and wondered why that it didn’t activate when he called upon its power earlier today. Now that he started to notice, it didn’t actually sparkle inside like it once did when he got it. He was almost convinced that he did break it, but he doesn’t see anything actually wrong with it. It didn’t look damaged or anything of that sort. So what was wrong with it? Tristen was a bit discouraged, but he felt that he might need to start asking questions about if there was anything else before he jumped to conclusions. He sat it aside for the time being, then started to get situated his homework for Ms. Raifort.

He once again started to read over the packet, refreshing himself with what was going on in the text. He’d then grab the SNAG and got to work…

"Tristen, are you busy?" GRAY would suddenly speak to the boy, his voice coming from the SNAG in his hands as he used it for schoolwork, the AI not bothering whatever he had up on the screen, only utilizing the speakers. "I have a question for you. Are you having fun here?" He asked, the strange question lingering in the air for a bit. What was this all about? And so suddenly? The AI had never asked such things of Tristen before, not even close.




"Oh, you were the ones. Didn't know one of you would be...never mind. Yes, please go on in, the director has been made aware of your presence." The secretary responded to Reno, walking over to the door to Clavell's office proper and stepped to the side, letting them enter.

As they entered the pair might noticed there was still some damage to the place, a burnt smell still in the air, the carpet ripped up in places, and broken machines shoved into a corner. The back end of the office was mostly fine, from the looks of it the fighting Tristen partook in mostly taking place towards the front where all the machines were. Looking to his desk the pair would see Clavell standing, hands behind his back as he waited for them. Once they approached he spoke.

"Reno, Sol, thank you for stopping by. Please, sit." He said, pointing to the two chairs on their side of the desk, the man sitting down in his big chair after they did. "So, what do I owe the pleasure, gentlemen?"

Giving a small nod of appreciation to the secretary, Reno would glide past and through the door behind into the director's....very bombed-out front portion of an office. Apparently directing all that electricity into a chi converter really did immediately dump all the energy any way it could. And it had decided that way was explosively. Moving past into the back half of the office, Reno would be quick to take the offered seat before speaking to the director. "I'll cut right to the chase. After analyzing a few different events throughout Team Snagem's short time as part of the student body, I have a number of pertinent questions for Giacomo as pertains to Team Star's benefactor and how he had apparently managed to avoid the mushroom infection the other members we could examine were suffering from. Two known members of his squadron appeared alongside Mela during one of the initial incidents that kicked off the major assault, but they did not free their supposed leader during all of that. So would we be able to talk with him to see what he might offer to us?"

“Uh, just make sure that my alarm is at its usual time in the morning.” Tristen said, sitting Litten back down on the floor so he could get back to work. Though Tristen had to admit it did seem weird and he wasn’t sure as to why. It was perhaps as if GRAY was trying to figure out how to open up to others but didn’t really know how to. Or if maybe GRAY was trying to withhold a sort of jealousy that it cannot comprehend. It was, at the end of the day, a Pokémon within the computer system after all, something that he had believed for a little while now that people tend to forget every now and then. He’d grab the SNAG, sitting back in his chair for a second. He figured he might ask the question. “GRAY…is there something wrong? Anything that you need to talk about?”

Tristen went from concerned to annoyed. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that GRAY was trying to hide something. “Do you want the fact that you ramble when you are lying or your tone when you asked me the questions a minute ago?” Tristen asked. Apparently, he learned a fair bit as he stayed with Snagem. “GRAY, if there’s something you want to speak up about then why not say something? If not to me, then…well, someone.” Tristen asked, still rather concerned. “Or do you not think you can talk to anyone about what’s on your mind?” Unfortunately, or fortunately, for GRAY, he now had the Manetric hybrid’s undivided attention. He was willing to hold off on his homework for at least a few minutes at this point.