(Lysandre’s office, Lysandre Tech Building, Lumiose City.)

  Two admins and three lead researchers silently stood in a line behind their head scientist, Xerosic. One admin fidgeted with her bracelet while the other pulled on his shirt collar, while the researchers were all stone-faced.

  “What do you mean the ultimate weapon is gone?” Lysandre asked in a calm yet menacing tone as he closed his laptop. “It’s the size of Prism Tower.”

  The Pyroar lounging next to the Team Flare boss’s desk flicked its tail lazily, a low growl rumbling in its chest, mirroring its trainer’s mood.

  A completely unfazed Xerosic replied with a wide smile, “Something opened a portal big enough to swallow it whole. I’ve never seen anything like it! It’s like something from the myths about Hoopa!”

  Lysandre’s eye twitched ever so slightly.

  One of the researchers, a woman with turquoise-blue hair featuring a loop on each side of her head, nervously raised her hand. “Speak” Lysandre ordered.

  “Um, sir, Hoopa uses golden rings to create its portals, and…the edges of this portal were purple and um…non-solid.”

  Then another researcher, this one with dark lavender hair in a pixie cut, added, “But we detected large amounts of ghost type energy, and Hoopa is confirmed to have a ghost typing.”

  Lysandred looked back to Xerosic, “So, was it Hoopa or not?”

  The portly scientist shrugged, “Most likely, no. If we can recover any security camera footage we could get a look at what was responsible.”

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  The Team Flare boss frowned and glanced at two admins who were desperately trying to make themselves as small as they could, “The security system didn’t catch anything?”

  It took a moment before one admin, a tall bald man in white and red, answered, “Er, the security system was tampered with…and the guards were all asleep. I…we suspect this incident involved humans. This was definitely a well-thought-out and executed plan done by a large and experienced group.”

  The third researcher, a woman with short bright green hair asked, “You sure this isn’t the work of interpol? Don’t they have an agent who’s in possession of a legendary Pokemon?”

  Xerosic turned to the green haired researcher, “She doesn’t have a ghost type legendary, and our intel told us they were all occupied with a mission in Galar.”

  “We can just rebuild the thing, right?” The bald admin asked, “I mean, we have the blueprints–”

  “No way!” The lavender haired researcher snapped, balling her fists, “There aren’t enough raw materials on the planet to create another ultimate weapon, and we can’t risk going anywhere near Yveltal, let alone waking it.”

  The second admin, a woman with blonde hair dyed red at the tips, elbowed the bald admin and harshly whispered to him, “You idiot! Don’t you remember the cocoon incident?”

  BAM! Lysandre slammed his fist into the desk. Everyone shut their mouths and stood to attention. Waves of heat slowly began rippling off of Pyroar’s mane as it got to its feet. The lion’s lips drew back just enough to hint at a snarl as it sauntered forward

  “Find out who’s behind this.” Lysandre growled through gritted teeth at the admins, “I’m not paying you to be incompetent imbeciles.”

  “GET OUT!” Pyroar leaped forward, claws unsheathed, and flames spewing from its maw as the admins tripped over each other on their way out. The purple haired scientist sneered gleefully at the scene. Green researcher stayed stock still, and blue researcher flinched as the doors to the office slammed shut behind the admins.

  With a deep breath, the Team Flare boss calmed himself down and looked to Xerosic again, “Switch to our alternate plan.”

  The portly scientist nodded, that wide grin still plastered on his face, “Promptly.”

  Pyroar wandered back to sit next to its master, resting its head on his lap. Lysandre stroked the lion’s mane as he added, “Increase security, and find out what Pokemon could’ve been involved. I don’t want any outsiders ruining our plans again.”

  “Of course,” Xerosic evenly agreed, “we’ll try our hardest.”

  The researchers all quietly filed out of the room, closing the door behind them with a quiet click. Lysandre looked out his office window at Prism Tower beginning to glow in the darkening sky.

  “I know you had something to do with this Olympia, but this setback means nothing in the grand scheme of things.” Lysandre muttered. He looked down at his Pyroar and scratched its cheek, “I will have my beautiful world no matter how you try to ruin my plans.”