Eva smiles, looking up to give Paxton a reassuring nod, “No, thank you,” she turns the tables, leading them further into a Kingdom she had become very familiar with, “It’s refreshing to have such dedicated and enthusiastic colleagues alongside us,” not many would voluntarily dare to venture into the The Wilds more often than necessary. Though, Eva’s trust for Paxton was paper thin. He had done nothing to endanger it, but his direct association with PENELOPE LIVY did.

It wasn’t a secret he worked directly beneath the Councilwoman. Deep seated insecurities rattled her core, allowing for paranoia to blossom. She’d be careful what she shared with him, “Have you been here before?” her hand sweeps forward over the sepia kingdom of gears, stone, and artificial light. There is nothing green, nothing living by their definition. In the distance a tall clock tower sits atop an abandoned castle.

A crimson light breaks through the dull kingdom. A MAGEARNA materializes in front of her. The artificial pokemon’s eyes blink, the sections of their body spinning independently to align themselves appropriately.

---

paxton concordas

She doesn't seem hostile, and he can appreciate that. While Paxton didn't let personal business interfere with his work, he knew it was a task too big to take on for others at times. But the scientist is amicable enough. He isn't about to press her for anything other than notes on the MECHA KINGDOM. [break][break]

"Of course, I only wish I could've been fortunate enough to accompany you on previous excursions." he stated. "I've had a fascination for Magearna since childhood." he added, as he spoke of his interest in the rift world. [break][break]

"I have been here only a couple of times. Between the reports form the Ranger Corps, and my work for the council, I am oftened chained to my desk unless specifically tasked out." he said. And while those tasks could be anythignfrom sitting in on a meeting, to escorting the commissioner, he never really had much of a say. Not that it bothered him either, more than happy to obey orders until his next meal. [break][break]

As they delve further in he pulls his rifle off his back, carrying it forward while his partner, a shiny Magnezone, floated above and a bit behind them to protect their rear. The release of a mechanical pokemon draws his swiveling head and he can't help the excitement that overtakes a typically stoic expression. Professionalism cracks as he stops in his tracks to look, fascinated. Like some kind of far off goal had been met. Paxton's stood in awe, teal eyes unable to pull away before Joules beeps a greeting at the doll like pokemon and he looked back to his companion. "You managed to find one out here?" he asked, lips pulling up into a happy grin. Not a drop of jealousy in sight.

"I assume without the SOUL HEART, but still, fascinating."

[break][break]

+ Eva Morales leggo wheatfang x honeyleaf | mission prompt: into the wild [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Eva smiles at Paxton’s fascination. She appreciates the shared interest in the mechanical creature. This particular Magearna aligns itself as Paxton focuses his attention on the anomaly.

“It definitely had a SOUL HEART,” she confirms, reaching forward to tap the multi-colored chamber on the pokemon’s chest. With a hiss the gears shift, the circle peels open, and Paxton is given a glimpse of the INFINITY ENERGY swirling within the case. It’s a brief look, for the precious core must be protected. The metal snaps shut again, sealing away the SOUL HEART embedded in the pokemon.

“Before the addition of a SOUL HEART, the Magearna was a lost being, just following the song of this kingdom without a will of its own. The SOUL HEART gave it its soul back,” though it was not the soul the Volcanion was looking for, “The ones without their SOUL HEART can be vicious when there is no song - so be careful,” she warns him. A wave of her hand send the Magearna floating away to pave a path forward for them through the rubble of the desolate kingdom.

---

paxton concordas

He pops back slightly as the Magearna opens its chest cavity. "Oh? Incredible-" he stared intently at the swirling iridescence inside beofre it closed back up. He gave a nod to the robotic doll for showing him. "That...That's interesting." he said, unable to really process what she was saying. [break][break]

But he was excited at the thought of it. "So, the SOUL HEART resided in it at some point or? Did it just get near the SOUL HEART and then got it's- sorry- soul back?" [break][break]

The gears turn slowly in his brain. "So, the SOUL HEART can...possibly house more souls in it?" A glance at the barren kingdom. "Everything that...resided here even?" As far as he'd seen the place was only full of Volcanion. "I haven't seen any Magearna yet. Just Volcanion-" there's a pause. "Melody Miro told me that the Volcanion that appeared in Hoenn could speak. Is that the case with your Magearana?" he asked. He looked away from the scientist as they approached the tower, the faint notes of the song it always played echoing amidst abandoned buildings. Faint rumbling in the distance, in time with the music.

[break][break]

+ Eva Morales leggo wheatfang x honeyleaf | mission prompt: into the wild [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Eva shakes her head and smiles, “No, it wasn’t always there,” she speaks over her shoulder slightly as they make their way deeper into the kingdom, “Magearna can’t speak, but it seems to have emotions of some sort,” it’s hard to read on something so artificial, but Eva has picked up on some subtle cues, “The Volcanion is the one that had the SOUL HEARTS,” she explains, hoping down off a little ledge, “They taught us how to put it into the Magearna. Once it was hooked up, it changed,” she pauses briefly, turning back, “Beforehand, it was just a mindless machine. So I guess, yeah, it did get a soul back, in a way.”

The song that drifts on the wind in a familiar one that brings a shiver down her spine, “And the song controls the machinations,” she looks out into the distance, then lifts her gaze to the top of the tower, “Melody found a way to harness that power,” a library of books she could use to sing. If Eva tried, it would just sound like a murder of Murkrow. That might scar things away, but it wouldn’t do anything else useful.

---

paxton concordas

He follows after her, carefully. He managed to pull his eyes away from the Magearna and towards the abandoned buildings they were now approaching. There's not a sign of danger yet, but he still keeps his voice low as to not alert the guardians of this desolate place. [break][break]

He watched Eva, a hand hovering out should she need it before going back to splitting his attention between the fabled pokemon and their creepy surroundings. [break][break]

The soft notes of the kingdom, fluttering on the wind give him a shiver as well. "That song controls more than just people." he said frowning. The grip on his rifle tight as he remembered. OR well remembered blacking out for a moment with luciano fisk and Morrigan Anderson . "It controlled me for a moment, just enough to use me as bait for the others." he explained before following Eva's look upwards. [break][break]

"Melody figured out the notes that can stop the robots then?" Shit, if only she hadn't been too busy to come with.

[break][break]

+ Eva Morales leggo wheatfang x honeyleaf | mission prompt: into the wild [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

They wind their way through the maze of steampunk buildings in various stages of ruin. Some of them seem somewhat rebuilt, while others seem to still be bending beneath the weight of time, “Thanks,” she mutters to Paxton, accepting his hand to help her down a particular large ledge that split the path.

“Well, it is Melody and Melody is amazing,” Eva grinned wide, fully aware of her bias when it comes to her friends. No one could deny Melody Miro’s talent though, “Fast forward, rewind, pause. All short term though. Kind of like the Music Box,” if he was familiar with that gadget found by The League in this kingdom.

A split in the path prompted Eva to slow down, “I was hoping to go check on the Volcanion . . . if that’s alright,” she liked to keep an eye on the legendary. They used their own Infinity Energy to ignite the Soul Hearts, leaving them weakened briefly if not replenished. Eva liked to make sure they had enough water filling their pools, “Is there anything you wanted to do while here?”

---

paxton concordas

He nodded along with the scientist. “Interesting. If the song can do all that, I wonder what- who built it- who was the one who designed it I guess.” he said, nodding along to what the scientist had uncovered. He slows to match her pace, glancing back asher as the fork in the path reveals itself. He’d heard distant echoes of gears moving but nothing terrifying. No strange music for now. No angry beeping or alert sounds echoing through the empty landscape. “Of course! The one that explained the SOUL HEART, right?” he said, clarifying. “I’d like to know its history. Who…left all this behind.” What sort of civilization had done it? Did they know of the Golurk pokemon line? Though, that last one was a more far fetched idea. [break][break]


Paxton shook his head. “I think following you around is more than enlightening for now. Though…I am curious if you found any other signs of life here.” he gestured at the empty buildings. “I wondered if this place really was a city or something more artificial for the Magearna and Volcanion to play house in."


[break][break]

+ Eva Morales leggo wheatfang x honeyleaf | mission prompt: into the wild [break][break]

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

[attr="class","credit"]milky

Soon, the castle’s spires pierced in the artificial kingdom’s sky, “Yes, that one,” she confirmed with a soft smile, “They live over there,” her finger points the steampunk castle with all its gears and cogs creating a rather intricate and unique design.

“Hm, I don’t believe so, everything we encountered was artificial,” she frowned a bit, leaving out their brief battle with Meloetta, “Nothing flesh and blood . . . but what defines life?” she poses a more philosophical question.

Were the Magearna not considered living because it is made of gears and cogs? Does it not still express opinions and tire when it battles?

“I may argue this whole place is teeming with life,” a small smile finds Paxton behind her before she ushers them into the castle. Their footsteps echo down the corridors, “I think it was. The Volcanion spoke of a Princess they were charged to protect. As if this was an entire kingdom.”

---

paxton concordas