She hasn't seen System Admin:ProfessorAsh ever since the ASPER SAMPLING quest had been completed. Some would think that this is because notably selfish as Tuesday can be, she has nothing to gain from visiting the Professor now that the quest is over, and while for the most part they would be correct, the truth of the matter is that she had actually intended to stop by the Briarbane lab.

The problem?

Between the end of the fiscal year and the actual end of the year, Tuesday hadn't spent much time on UNOVR, and once she had finally gotten a chance to visit Ash's laboratory, she had found it deserted with no more than a notice.

"I can't believe they made you come all the way to the Steppes." is the first thing the Alchemist says when stepping into the Professor's new facilities, a smirk tugging at her rosy lips. But, who's they? In Ash's mind, who had told her to come to this place? Had it been a decision she made herself? Passingly, Tuesday wonders.

It's the presence of the adorable Eevee that manages to steal her mind away from such thoughts. It walks by her side, but when it sees the professor, its fluffy wags and its pointed ears perk up. The small Pokémon approaches Ash, as if familiar with her, and crossing her arms, Tuesday watches.

"She's really cute. Has been a great addition to my team, so I wanted to come to thank you personally... Still not sure what I should name her, though. Any suggestions? I plan on evolving her into a Jolteon." Tuesday had decided that she would give the Eevee whatever name Ash chose for it, but it wouldn't be as fun to just say that, right? Instead of doing so, she bring a Pokéball out of one of her pockets, placing it on the desk and playfully winking at the professor. "Here's a Duraludon as a little thanks."

There's another pressing question that had brought her to this place today, but there's a certain order of business to things, and in her opinion, this definitely comes first.

Tuesday GIVES PROFESSOR ASH A DURALUDON

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Ash would much prefer to be in her sterile, clinical laboratory, where System Admin:Bunyaa was probably even now dripping barbecue sauce all over her clean floors. But science waits for no one, and Ash signed up for this expedition to be on the leading edge.

She looks up from her computer to see orioncayge, and her serious expression breaks into one of surprise.

"Orion! I see you managed to find my temporary lab," she said, brows raising at the words 'manifest destiny.' She offers you a small smile. "Perceptive as usual. The desire to reclaim the wilderness and return it to some semblance of civility is what backs our whole operation. Some would say humanity has a right to this place. From one end of the continent to the other."

Her eyes crinkle at the sight of the french press and kettle. She seems... very pleased. Both at the compliment and the gift itself.

"...Thank you."

The warmth of the gesture seems to soften all that is cold and chilly about Ash.

"What are we researching? And what can I do to help?"

She cracks another small smile. "I was hoping you'd ask. Though you've caught me at only the most rudimentary stages of actual research." Still, she's willing to share.

"Based on reports, I've observed each of the three "Routes" of Asper demonstrate a unique weather pattern." She counts on her fingers. "Route 1. Always warm and pleasant. Route 2, always foggy and wet. Route 3, thunderstorms, which I've determined seem to come from across the sea to the West."

She turns her screen to show Orion a weather map of the area. "My instruments have picked up plenty of atmospheric activity in this area, but no rain. I hypothesize any stray lightning is dispelled here at the Steppes before moving on to the Timberlands in the east, where remaining moisture eventually sinks and gets trapped in the valley." Ash turns her monitor back around. "But to tell the truth, I'm not here as a climate specialist. I'm here as a surveyor."

Storms to the West. Corruption to the North. Two Shrines activated, but nothing dispelled. A time limit. Funds running dry without progress.

"We have completed surveying and settling Asper. The truth is, it's time to press onward. The question is, to where?"

Orion had asked how he could help. Ash looks him over thoughtfully. "As my f-" She stops, rephrasing carefully. "As one of my best surveyors, I'd value your insight."

West, the true unknown, to a cloud-covered shore across violent seas. North into the mountains, where on a clear day, two peaks could be faintly seen rising above the rest.

"Which way do you think we should we go next?"

The next time Tuesday steps into the professor's field laboratory up in the heights of the Surging Steppes, no Pokémon accompany her. She does, however, bring four Pokéballs out of one of her dress' many pockets, which are neatly placed down onto a counter soon after she greets the researcher with a casual and cordial "Hey, Prof."

The Pokéballs bear labels similar to those marking that of the starter Pokémon the professor herself gives to new trainers, except these ones say the following: Klink, Magnemite, Duraludon, and Duraludon again.

The smile Tuesday gives the professor is as radiant as it is proud — glimpse of sharp feline fangs and everything.

"I come to steal a moment of your time, so I brought you these as a small way to make up for it." She explains, inviting herself to take a seat. Her attention is on Ash and Ash alone — mismatched, heterochronic gaze never wandering away from her. "There's something I've been wondering about, and I want to get your opinion on it."

It's clearly something that matters to Tuesday, for her to have come all this way specifically to ask Ash this question. But, why does she think the professor may hold the answers she seeks? Perhaps because System Admin:ProfessorAsh understands UNOVR in a way no player ever will.

"You've heard about what happened at Bronstanton Manor, right? I assume someone must've told you all about it." That someone had been Furrlicity Purrfection, which would doubtless surprise Tuesday if she were to find out, considering how he had been going all sicko mode 'I'm the Briar King, I'll eat your Pokémon for breakfast raaaaawr' or whatever at the time. "So, like... Back then, when we were in the middle of the fight and things weren't looking too great, I figured I'd try praying to the Precipice for help. Noonlight just didn't feel right, since we had the whole spike in corruption near it and what not, and you know I've gone to the Precipice Shrine a whole bunch of times."

And also sacrificed many Pokémon to it.

And talked to it.

And prayed.

Is that the reason for this strange connection or is it something different? Isn't of getting lost ponderings she has gotten lost in many times before, Tuesday continues her story:

"A voice talked to me then, into my head... through this." She reaches up then, an index finger tapping on the beautiful circlet that she's always wearing. "I took it from a princess in the Timberlands soon after you gave me my starter, but nothing like that had ever happened before. It was this overwhelming, cold, feminine voice... And I heard it again recently. At the shrine. Afterwards I got told my favour had increased or something?"

Tuesday sounds uncharacteristically confused, and that's because she is. There are obvious links she can make: like that the voice comes from the shrine and that the princess had been connected to it all along, but that's that. Other speculations don't have nearly as much empirical evidence on her part. She decides not to voice any of them, leaving Ash to reach her own conclusions.

"What do you think it is? Or, well, more like... Who do you think it is? Oh... Also... Might not be relevant, but I got an invitation? Something about the coronation of the Precipice heir?"

Tuesday GIVES PROFESSOR ASH A KLINK, MAGNEMITE, AND DURALUDON

EDIT: Tuesday ALSO GIVES ASH ANOTHER DURALUDON

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Jinx had thought long and hard about it, but now she entered Professor Ash's tent tentatively, cradling her Duraludon's Poke Ball in one hand.

"Hey, Professor?" Her voice was quieter than usual... not that that said much. "I have something for you. I decided I don't really need this Duraludon I caught-" Jinx was proud of herself for just getting the Pokemon species' name right on her first try. Duraludon--what a mouthful! "So uh, you can have it for your research, or whatever."

Part of her still wanted to keep the Duraludon... but she didn't really need the Pokemon, not as much as she needed the Bytes or the extra box space. It would be better served here.

Still, as Jinx set the Poke Ball down and waited for her reward, she gulped, as if waiting for punishment instead of reward.

100 BYTES PROCESSED!

Ash listens carefully to orioncayge, not just because she asked for his opinion, but because time has shown her that anything that comes out of the fighter's mouth tends to be extraordinarily valuable. Despite clear differences in personality, it's times like these the Professor is reminded of talking to System Admin:Cygnus at the height of his genius.

Unfortunately, the Corruption had effectively robbed the Mythstar leader of his effectiveness, transforming his speech to riddles and his memories to ciphered images. Were it not for the trainers who continued to visit her campsite, Ash would feel very alone.

"I was concerned about the supply lines as well," Ash says, nodding along as Orion speaks. "The area to the North is landlocked and inaccessible by sea, so any shipments will probably have to come in from Briarbane, through the Surge Steppes. I have an idea, however."

She pulls up a 3D hologram of the Steppes. Certain portions (yet to be fully explored) are missing, but enough of a framework has been collected by aerial scouts to relay a good picture of the terrain. Perhaps the Professor's own Beautifly is to thank. In any case, the rolling hills with their periodic steel spires are clearly visible from the surface blueprint.

"This is the Giant Shrine." Ash pointed out the largest of the spires. "Based on readings, the barrier at the Corruption Zone is weakest at this point." She draws a line on the map near its northernmost reach. "I've noticed the concentration of steel spires is higher towards the northern border, and experiments with magnetism seem promising. I propose—"

Ash begins to draw, connecting the spires on the map like dot points on a line graph. They form a roughly straight line from the Giant Shrine to the northern border. "We take advantage of the natural topography. A few spires would need to be relocated for maximum efficiency, of course, but with Pokemon periodically stationed down the line, we should be able to construct a magnetic rail from one side of the Steppes to the other. It would dramatically reduce freight times, and perhaps even become viable for human passengers."

The Professor does not say the unspeakable: even if they build the rail, how will they breach the barrier at the edge of the Corruption Zone once they get there? If the Corruption does not lift in time, there will be no choice but to take their chances on the stormy Western seas. Without effective ships, perhaps Surfing Pokemon could substitute to some extent— but it would be a long, cold, dangerous trip.

Orion is right. Proper precautions must be taken. She will not lose anyone else.

M'Foxy pushed into the tent, a good twenty-six minutes after she'd left it. "I'm baaaack!~" She sang, smiling wondrously up at Professor Ash. "I couldn't find my way to Briarbane, unfortunately- But I did manage to find this!" M'Foxy whipped out the pokeball with a flourish. It was the duraludon, that she and- damn, she still hadn't caught his name!- had caught not thirty seconds ago.

"That's steel-type enough for you, yeah?" M'Foxy giggled. "One of the big boys." It was hard not to sound proud- The two of them had managed to take down the tanky thing, with grit and determination. And a lot of abusing of game mechanics. But, like, details. "Sooo- I heard on the grapevine-" Reddit threads, but whatever- "That you're working on making a railway? Y'know, I know a bit about train engineering myself." M'Foxy said, hopelessly self-aggrandizing. "Maybe we could pour over the plans together? Perhaps over dinner?" Another flashed, somewhat smug, smile.

M'Foxy offers duraludon for 100 bytes

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