[filtered to the Rocket frequency]

[The feed opens up to a man sitting at a desk somewhere in the Goldenrod labs. He's holding the 'Gear straight out so the feed gets a good shot at him, and his other hand is propping up his chin.

Those who have encountered this guy already will notice that he's not dressed as garish today. He's got his usual red undershirt and yellow tie, but there's no gaudy collar or anything like that. Just a plain labcoat on top with a rose tucked into the breast pocket.

Today the ~magnificent~ Dist the Rose appears...complacent. What else is new? But there is a hint of concern in his eyes, though it'll quickly become apparent that that concern is only for himself.]

Good evening, my fellow Rocket members. I am Dist the Rose, for those who somehow don't know already. I am a member of the science department here at the Goldenrod headquarters. You may have met me while you were receiving your powers.

[He lifts his head up for a moment to wave that free hand.]

And those powers are exactly what I want to speak about. More notably the sudden...outbreak of them, all over Johto and Kanto. I'm certain that you've all seen the dozens of network posts and news reports from the victims.

Not only was this not what was expected to happen, those who are non-Rockets appear to be having some very strange side-effects to the radiation. [He takes a moment to rub his chin.] While the exact cause of the outbreak is unknown, there are only so many to choose from.

In conclusion? [He shrugs.] So much for our little advantage. Regardless, Gorthan and I shall be studying these posts for new information on this mishap. To those who did not request a power, I suggest keeping indoors for the time being, unless you'd like powers with the horrible side-effects we were attempting to avoid.

[And with that, Dist cuts the feed and leans back in his chair. Well, this experiment certainly took an interesting turn. Naturally this is bad news for Team Rocket, but it doesn't bug Dist that much. He would be worried about issues with the higher-ups, but he and Gorthan performed their parts exactly. This couldn't be their doing. If anything, he's just worried about the illness. What if he catches it? The horrible things it could do to his face! He just shudders thinking about it.]

( private voice message to Jade Curtiss )