Artist/Writer with Pretty Good/Bad Ideas

The “Meta” Aspect (and Lusamine):

Chapter 58 reveals that Briar now knows about the Knowing and her entire life being a video game. The story at one point says: “If she could study Lilac, unravel the nature of this external control, and seize Terapagos, Briar wouldn't just clear her family's name. She would master the very forces that dictated human history.”

That’s not the least bit concerning!

So yeah, Briar wants to become the “Hypergod of the Game World.” But what does Lusamine have to do with any of this? Well, we’re getting to that.

In Sun and Moon, Lusamine was a character who became obsessed with Ultra Beasts after a tragic event in her life. She and Briar actually share a lot of similarities; being very maternal towards the main characters (in their own twisted way) and being obsessed with a specific Pokemon.

Which brings us to…Lusamine fusing with Niheligo during the climax of the story and battling the MC with powered up Pokemon.

I believe that Briar will go through a similar process with Terapagos for a couple of reasons:

The End of Chapter 58 has Briar activating a program called the “Paradox Binding Protocol” which is basically what players do to their Pokemon with rare candies and vitamins. Forced stat and level manipulation. Powering up her Pokemon.

Terapagos has meta narrative powers, as evidenced by Juliana. Whose to say those meta narrative powers can’t fuse itself with a trainer?

There are a lot of Alolan Pokemon that Lilac has, and overall @celestial-kyuk0n has a love for Sun and Moon. Why wouldn’t she make a reference to one of the most iconic scenes in the game? Plus, it’s a good way to expand upon things that the game never did.

But how would Briar even get Terapagos in the first place? That brings me to…

The Manipulation:

We already know about Briar’s manipulation of Lilac (if you’ve seen the “Taking you to Court” post on Kyukon’s blog, you know very well). But whose to say things won’t go further? 

In that same post, Briar was quoted, saying, “Soon, I will make Syringa an offer she cannot refuse. Just you wait and see.”

I believe that this is about their legacies and Briar convincing Lilac about clearing their names. Both their ancestors were labeled as frauds. They were both mocked for it! But she has a way to clear the Syringa and Heath name.

It’s simple. Capture Terapagos for her.

This is also based off of fics that have Briar manipulate Kieran into capturing Terapagos, think Secret Admirer by @tuttiwrites. But, I feel Kyukon will go a different route. Much like what she did with Pecharunt possessing Lilac instead of the more common options of Kieran or Briar.

Having Briar manipulate Lilac perfectly falls in line with that subversion of expectations that Kyukon often does in ELTZ.

And now for something more…mysterious:

Her Pokemon and what “Binding” might mean:

Briar has Pokemon in this interpretation, but we don't know what they are.

I’ve been slowly chipping away at what her Pokemon might be. So far, the only hint we have are these glitchy radar scans:

A crystalline parasite.

A silhouette, shining with a greed that gained a life of its own.

A supercomputer.

A genetic anomaly—designed to shatter Lilac’s ties to the future.

A humble gem forced into an artificial mutation.

A gentle heart trapped in a waking nightmare.

Now, for what they mean. I don’t exactly know what Pokemon they might be. A supercomputer could refer to a Paradox. So far, I’ve got two out of six ideas on what they might be:

“A crystalline parasite.” Glimmora (Glimmora’s petals are made of Crystalized poison, and they attach themselves to walls and suck out the nutrients. Much like a parasite.)

“A genetic anomaly—designed to shatter Lilac’s ties to the future.” Iron Jugulis (This Pokemon is described to be the offspring of a Hydreigon that fell in love with a robot. Very much a genetic anomaly.)

And then we get to the Paradox Binding Protocol. The word “Binding” sticks out to me.

Binding can be described as “to confine, restrain, or restrict as if with bonds.” But why is it paired with Paradox? Does that mean that Briar is creating her own Paradoxes through illegal measures? Maybe it’s all part of her plan? But why, though???

*Maybe you should stop trying to guess the password to my intentions. In the end, it’s all useless. You can’t do anything to stop me.* =)

Wh—oh, no. Nonononono. Briar can’t be listening, can she?? Great, I’m going insane!

(The Blueberry Academy staff room is quiet, illuminated only by the artificial, bluish glow of the large windows and the harsh light of a laptop screen. Briar is sitting at her desk, surrounded by scattered notes on Kitakami and student profiles. Flowery—currently in his human Darkner form, posing as the school’s eccentric new Grass-type Biology teacher—leans against the edge of her desk, holding a cup of tea he doesn't actually intend to drink. He watches her with an intense, lingering gaze that she completely misses.)

Briar: (Frustrated, typing rapidly on her keyboard) “The administration is being ridiculously bureaucratic about this. A research trip to Kitakami cannot be left to a random lottery. I need specific elements if I want my study on the Terastal energy to yield actual results.”

Flowery: (He chuckles, taking a slow step closer, his eyes scanning the profiles on her desk. He spots the faces of Carmine, Kieran, and a specific application from Uva Academy) “You know, technically speaking, picking your favorite lab rats beforehand is against school regulations, Briar. The protocol says it should be random. But then again... rules are really more like a suggestion, aren't they? Especially when they get in the way of what we actually want.”

Briar: (She sighs, looking up from her screen, slightly annoyed by his presence but too exhausted to dismiss him) “It is not about favorites, Flowery. It’s about efficiency. This excursion is my chance to finally prove my ancestor Heath's findings. And to do that, I need her.” (She taps her finger firmly against the profile of the Uva Academy student: Syringa Lilac) “She is a descendant of one of Heath’s most crucial collaborators. I have a specific proposition for her, and she needs to be in Kitakami.”

Flowery: (His smile freezes for a fraction of a second. Internally, a cold wave of dread washes over him. He knows that name. He knows what happens to Briar once Lilac steps into her life. He masks his panic with a playful smirk) “Ah, Lilac! What a small world. You know, before I transferred to Blueberry, I used to teach at Uva Academy. Totally true, don't look up the records! I actually met her.”

Briar: (Her eyes light up with sudden interest, turning her full attention to him) “You met her? Tell me about her personality. Is she easily influenced? Is she dedicated to academic pursuits, or is she more... malleable?”

Flowery: (He feels a surge of thrill seeing her beautiful, calculating eyes focused entirely on him. He loves her sharp mind, but he hates why she's using it right now. Desperate to steer the conversation away from Lilac, he waves his hand dismissively, laughing) “Oh, she’s... a handful. To be honest, she reminds me of a friend's kid back home. A quiet child named Kris. Always staring blankly, ripping people's plans apart just by existing…”

Briar: (Frowning, writing down the name) “Kris? Are they another student from Paldea? Should I look into their file as well?”

Flowery: (He quickly leans over her shoulder, gently but firmly placing his hand over her notebook to stop her from writing, his heart aching at her proximity) “No, no, no! Don't bother. Kris is just... another random student. Totally irrelevant. Let’s talk about something much more interesting. Like... the biology of local flora? For example, did you know that in old folklore, people believed bringing a Lilac branch inside the house brings terrible misfortune?”

Briar: (She blinks, looking at his hand on her notebook, then up at his face, completely oblivious) “Superstition. I am a scientist, Flowery. I don't care about old wives' tales.”

Flowery: (His voice softens, losing some of its playful edge. He looks directly into her eyes, a deep, hidden sadness in his gaze. He is thinking about how this dimension's Terastal energy is the only thing keeping him alive and human, yet it's the very thing that will drive her to madness. He hates that for once, his meta-powers cannot change the code of this tragic script) “It’s not just a superstition. Sometimes, when you invite a delicate flower into your home... into your life... it brings a storm that breaks everything. Some things are beautiful, but they are meant to be left alone.”

Briar: (She scoffs gently, pulling her notebook away, missing the desperate warning in his words) “You are far too poetic for a biology teacher. Nature is meant to be studied and mastered, not feared.”

Flowery: (He lets his hand fall back to his side. Internally, he is breaking. He knows her destiny. He wants to rewrite her patch, to save her from herself, but the universal code won't let him) “Hey, smile again. You know... there's another flower. The Sweet Briar. Botanists say its thorns can wound you, but its leaves smell like fresh apples, and its extracts can heal. There’s always hope for a flower like that. Even when the future looks a bit dark.”

Briar: (She looks back at her screen, completely absorbed in her programming, offering a faint, dismissive smile) “A flower that wounds to heal? Sounds inefficient. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to finish coding these travel permits.”

Contrasting the usual liveliness in the daytime, the Blueberry Staff room at night stayed eerily quiet, minus the low hum of the water enveloping the structure. The projected screens broadcast nothing more than a mocking illusion of the night sky and stars above to provide a small source of light. Briar’s laptop stayed the only other bright spot, bathing the scattered notes and student profiles on her desk in a harsh cyan light.

Realistically, no one would’ve stayed here this late into the night. And truthfully, that was correct; most of the teachers had left for bed by now. Except for one.

Sure, Flowery gave a reason to stay so late—getting his lesson on botany and different types of plants done—but by the ten minute mark his mind drifted to…other topics.

He let out a sigh and leaned against Briar’s desk, the heat from his cup slowly creeping up his hand. Why had he even grabbed a cup of tea anyways? Tea was much too acidic for someone like him, and besides, he ran on hopes and dreams after all! (And sunlight, too, but that’s currently out of the question.) He should’ve given it to one of the other teachers instead.

His thoughts were quickly interrupted by the sound of a huff, followed by more typing. “The administration is being ridiculously bureaucratic about this,” Briar muttered, her voice tinged with frustration. “A research trip to Kitakami cannot be left to a random lottery. I need specific elements if I want my study on Terastal energy to yield actual results.”

Flowery chuckled, taking a slow step toward the frustrated scientist, eyes fixed on the various student profiles. He only recognized two; a girl with fiery scarlet streaks that clashed with her long deep black hair, and her brother, whose violet underside went well with his shorter black hair. Alongside those was an application to Uva Academy, the text obscured via papers.

“You know, technically speaking, picking your favorite lab rats beforehand is against school regulations, Bri.” He replied, his words coming out like a pre-rehearsed speech. “The protocol says it should be random. But then again... rules are really more like a suggestion, aren't they? Especially when they get in the way of what we actually want.”

Briar sighed, finally shooting a glance in his direction. He half expected her to glare at him, much like Raly did when he said that to them after his voice clips were turned off. But instead, she just spoke. “It is not about favorites, Florence. It’s about efficiency. This excursion is my chance to finally prove Heath's findings. And to do that, I need her.” She swept the papers aside to reveal the Uva Academy application in its full glory: a smiling, lavender haired girl with a violet beret stared back at them.

The name on the application made Flowery’s breath hitch, his eyes widening before he quickly shut them: Syringa Lilac.

Syringa. The girl who changes Briar’s life for the worse. The girl who gave her the Stellar Shard. The girl whom Briar uses. The girl who ended her story.

He quickly masked his panic with a smirk. “Ah, Lilac! What a small world.” He prayed she didn’t just hear his voice crack. “You know, before I transferred to Blueberry, I used to teach at Uva. Totally true, don't look up the records!” Dammit, Flowery! Why did you say that?! “I actually met her.”

He felt beads of sweat form on his face. She’s not gonna buy it. He thought. Yep. Well done, Flowery. You’ve blown your cover. 

Contrary to his belief, Briar’s dark eyes lit up with interest, her full attention now on him. “You met her?! Tell me about her personality. Is she easily influenced? Is she dedicated to academic pursuits, or is she more... malleable?”

The sudden surge of thrill from her beautiful, calculating eyes on him felt like pure pleasure. He felt the heat creep into his cheeks, alongside a small amount of dread. Why? Why must she use that sharp mind of hers that drove him wild now? To get info on a girl he barely knew anything about? He waved his free hand dismissively, hoping that’ll be enough to get her mind on something else. 

“Hahahaha! Oh, she’s... a handful.” Well, at least he didn’t say “flowers” when he laughed. “To be honest, she reminds me of an… old friend's kid back home. A quiet kid named Kris. Always staring blankly, ripping people's plans apart just by existing…” He trailed off, desperately trying to cover up the resentment bubbling up to the surface. He put down his cup of tea, now cold.

“Kris? Are they another student from Paldea?” Briar asked, jotting down the name. “Should I look into their file as well?”

Shoot. Without a second thought, he quickly leaned over Briar's shoulder, gently, but firmly, placing his hand over her notebook. He plastered on a fake grin, his cheeks now a deeper shade of scarlet. “No, no, no! Don't bother!” He reassured, one of his voice clips slipping out, the lack of sound catching his attention. “Kris is just... another random student. Totally irrelevant! Let’s talk about something much more interesting. Like... the biology of local flora! For example…uh, did you know that in old folklore, people believed bringing a Lilac branch inside the house brings terrible misfortune?”

She blinked, her gaze shifting from his hand on her notebook to his face, nervous grin and all. Somehow, she completely missed the blush. “Superstition. I am a scientist, Florence. I don't care about old wives' tales.”

For the first time during the entire conversation, Flowery’s smile faltered. He glanced over to Briar, a deep sadness lingering in his eyes. How ironic, isn’t it? The very thing keeping him alive and human is the very thing that drives his love to madness. It’s almost…familiar, even.

Notes scattered around the room, hanging from the ceiling. Red threads tying them all together. A person, desperately trying to prove themself. His cheerful voice, trying to get their mind off their work. A hand on their shoulder. 

*Crack*

He shook his head before he continued. “It’s not just a superstition.” Flowery told her. “Y’know, sometimes, when you invite a delicate flower into your home... into your life... it brings a storm that destroys everything…Some things are beautiful, but they are meant to be left alone.”

All Flowery got from Briar in return was a scoff, yanking her notebook from his hand. “You are far too poetic for a biology teacher,” she replied, opening her notebook back up to the page she was on. “Nature is meant to be studied and mastered, not feared.”

He let his hand fall back to his side. Another crack. Simply looking at her now stung. All he saw was her destiny: Splayed out on the floor of the Crater, sobbing, bleeding. She cried for help. And yet nobody came.

And yet, Flowery couldn’t shake the feeling that this had all happened before.

A sudden, booming voice echoing through his mind: “Everyone will finally realize how right I was…That I wasn’t ‘crazy.’ That they weren’t ‘conspiracies…’”

A sharp sting coursed through his chest.

Oh.

That’s what this was all reminding him of.

Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, threatening to spread and fall. He squeezed them shut, plastering on a reassuring smile as he leaned in. “Hey, smile again. You know... there's another flower. The Sweet Briar.” He chuckled. Of course he’d compare her to a plant she shared a name with. “Botanists say its thorns can wound you, but its leaves smell like fresh apples, and its extracts can heal.” He stole a quick glance at her. “There’s always hope for a flower like that. Even when the future looks a bit dark.”

Once again, his words fell on mostly deaf ears. Briar only returned a faint, dismissive smile. “A flower that wounds to heal? Sounds inefficient. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to finish coding these travel permits.” She shooed him off with her free hand.

Flowery nodded; he’d definitely overstayed his welcome by now. Guess another improvised lesson would have to do for tomorrow.

He grabbed his coat—draped on one of the chairs—and hoisted it over his shoulder before he waved back. “See ya tomorrow, Bri!” He beamed, almost a little too joyful. Briar didn’t respond back, not even as he stole another glance at her.

As he stepped out of the staff room, the longing ache in his chest returned. Of course. What did you expect? For Briar to come flocking to you, shouting “I love you too!” Get a chance, Flowery. Get a goddamn chance. 

Those same tears from before pricked at the corners of his eyes. She’ll never look at you that way. She’s too busy with her research.

He swallowed the lump forming in his throat just before stepping in the elevator. But just as the doors closed, one last thought ran through his mind, the same words repeating over and over: