Lutgarde and their Sylveon Sylv's steps are careful, with their Togekiss Sylph (and also their Impidimp Zylf) in their pokéballs still. The atmosphere here is ... odd, to say the least, but ... they don't think it's particularly bad, even if it remains eerie. "Have you been here before?" they ask Shalin. They've gotten the note to rescue someone, but Lutgarde relies on the Captain for more information regarding what to do. "It's like an entirely different world here ... or well, I suppose it is, in a way?" It doesn't even feel particularly like an actually alive thing, but they believe it is, still - or isn't it? It's an odd feeling, as they look at a kingdom that might as well be ... a music box.

Their eyes scan their surroundings with an uncharacteristic calm, calculating look. They've only been in Hoenn for a few months, heck, barely even a quarter of a year, but they already feel its constant battles seeping into them. Nonetheless, they try to keep a casual and easy-going attitude - there's no use in stiffening up too much.

Shalin Nariya Aubre McKenna-Settentrione

Treble's massage-like vibration could only do so much to calm Shalin's nerves in the lifeless, artificial realm beneath Littleroot, the treble of the Kommo-o's lightly clanging scales a complement to the bass of Sandy the Flygon's wings. It may have been that pleasant harmony that kept Lutgarde Dijkstra and Aubre McKenna-Settentrione going.

It took quite a bit of time for Shalin to even respond. "I... have," the Captain answered, her voice slightly distorted from her mount lightly shaking her. "I've been through almost all of the rifts in Hoenn. The world beyond each one is... completely different, and many of them operate by different rules than Universe 820's Hoenn. Sometimes I wonder if these worlds are from a universe other than 820." That might have gone over both their heads. Whoops.

All of a sudden, Lathiel began making sounds halfway between a meow and a bark. "I think she's found something inside that abandoned church." Were the trio to follow the Type: Null, they would find a ruined congregation room with an organ. Were they to attempt to play it, they would find that only the lower half of its keys played any sound. If they needed to take shelter, the pews behind the organ were still intact, giving them an uncomfortable, but safe, place to nap.

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Lutgarde nods. There's a curiosity to these worlds, and they would like to see more of them, mayhaps ... but they also feel a calling to this one in particular, and wonder why. However, this also is thrown out of their mind as they focus on one term that they can't recall. "What is ... Universe 820 again?"

They did read up on the information supplied by the rangers. They did also not have the greatest memory for things they couldn't see.

And so their mind wanders back to the things they could see, as they try to design a mental map of this place. The most they were focusing on are any kinds of exits, paths that seem safe and they could take in a pinch. As ... peaceful it feels to them, with the whirring of gears in perpetual motion, there is an underlying danger to this place that they wouldn't want to shake.

They did not expect to find someone in the church, and it seems like the other also has not expected them - but Shalin knows her, so Lutgarde relaxes. "Hello, we're on a mission here. What about you? I'm Lutgarde," they introduce themself, and take a moment to look over the newcomer.

They also turn slightly towards Shalin, and in a lower voice asks, "How do you know it's abandoned?" It's hard for them to feel actual life inside here, and in the absence of anything, it feels like they might always be watched.

Shalin Nariya Aubre McKenna-Settentrione
prompt Lutgarde Dijkstra's skills as a pathfinder must be explored in some way.

Lathiel's eyes menacingly shifted toward Aubre McKenna-Settentrione . A snarl was all Shalin needed to pull back on the Type: Null's reins, reining in the unwanted behavior (both literally and figuratively). "Not exactly, Aubre," she answered, shivering as she heard the clicking of a nearby clock tower's giant gears. "On business from the League. They want all the rifts mapped out and as well-understood as can be. And I don't blame them. The Pokémon here and in the rest of the rifts are something else."

Lutgarde's questions continued. "820 is our universe," Shalin explained. "From what we understand, it's the Origin Point of all worlds. Either 820 has to go, or the rest of the worlds have to go, supposedly. I don't believe it - there's no reason our world shouldn't be able to coexist with others." She thought about the last time she had traveled to Universe 313 using her Sygna Suit and a Space-Time Distortion. A universe where only legendary Pokémon existed; Pokémon that were rare in 820 were common there. Her Universe-313 self was Keldeo's Avatar, and the Keldeo of that world was quite a bit larger than Hoenn's.

"Frankly, the whole place looks abandoned," Shalin concluded from her last trip to the place. "Lifeless. Maybe there are a few artificial--"

Before she could further elaborate, a Zygarde cell zipped about the pews, disappearing behind the stage and into what appeared to be a secret passage. Not able to resist the allure, Shalin followed it on foot, the corridors inside too narrow to pass by on a Pokémon. Little did they know how much false life they would run into beyond...

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Lutgarde, compared to the other two, felt oddly at ease here. Maybe it's because they haven't been exposed to the Mechanical Kingdom for too long, or it's their affinities to cities and their machinations; or maybe they're just weird. At Aubre's clear dejection, they offer a reassuring, confident smile. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of there! Just- hang in a bit longer, but if you stick with us, we'll figure it all out." Surely, they wouldn't just leave her here, anyway! Lutgarde would rather just stick around until reinforcements arrived if it really came to that.

Now, however, their attention quickly also focused on the talk about universes ... "Why 820 as origin point?" they ponder, but aren't sure if they could actually understand the answer to it if it is longer than one medium-sized sentence. The implications of it all seem rather terrifying, this much they could grasp. They nod at Shalin's and Aubre's words. "Yeah, I think it seems really odd why not ... I mean, a tree has its roots just fine, right?" Unless, of course, there's a disease from the roots up to the tree ... but even then, it's strange how a start could possibly vanish with the rest persisting.

Aubre's remark about it not being lifeless is followed by a nod from Lutgarde. "It looks really well-maintained, actually, now that I think about it. But even I know that perpetuum mobile isn't possible - where do they get their energy from?" they wonder. They don't have time to wonder for too long, however, as Shalin spots something and follows it. They turn to see if Aubre would follow them as well, before also following on the back of their Togekiss. "What- oh". Their arrival has alarmed or activated guards, it seems. "Not abandoned?" they try to lighten the mood while also backing off.

They have no idea what the turtle-like robots with a ring are, but there seem to be more and more coming from the other end of the corridor, approaching slowly, but steadily, onward, further and further onward. "We should leave this place?" they suggest, not sure if it'd be worth it to chase whatever Shalin has found.

Shalin Nariya Aubre McKenna-Settentrione
prompt engage or flee soulless volcanion guards.

Lathiel's expression remained decidedly neutral as Aubre spoke up. "You're not stuck here; we'll make sure you get back to Hoenn safely. Isn't that right, Lutgarde?" The question needed no answer; as Rangers, they presumably knew what that answer was already.

Lutgarde Dijkstra 's questions about 820 did not surprise Shalin, either; as Captain she had to have some baseline knowledge about the Origin Point, 820, and effects it would have on the Hoenns of other universes. "I don't know a lot about it, and some of it I can't talk about publicly anyway. But the gist of it is by saving 820, every other universe's Hoenn is doomed. By destroying our Hoenn, every other universe's Hoenn is saved. If we do nothing, they all will be gone. Don't quote me on it, though. Like I said, I don't get it completely."

The secret passage was filled with artificial-looking Pokémon: Klink line, Magnemite line... none of which were truly alive. Shalin shrugged at Lutgarde's question. "That's part of the reason I've been assigned to investigate here. They really should have sent someone else, though. Anyone else--"

Before she could finish the sentence, the Volcanion guards funneled the trio elsewhere in the passage. The girl flinched, yelping as she stepped on a large pressure plate. The gears of several Klang began turning rapidly, opening a gate in the far distance. "Just... let's get out of here and go home!" she begged Lutgarde, not wanting to go any deeper. The deeper she went, the more visibly at unease she became...

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Lutgarde wonders for a moment what has happened to Aubre, but there might be time for questioning later - or even never, given that it might be a sensitive topic to speak about. The same applies to the talk about universes and doom - it truly feels like the trolley problem all over again, with no way to find a third solution that wouldn't end in their death.

They are perplexed as Shalin's unease about being here reached its peak, and she begged to leave as quickly as possible. Lutgarde rests a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it firmly and reassuringly, "Yeah, let's - we'll get out as quickly as we can." They need to keep a calm mind, even as they're coming to face with several mechanic pokémon, as well as some that they've never seen before (Volcanion guards).

Before Lutgarde could figure out a solution to their situation, Aubre has unexpectedly stepped forward, immobilising the swarm of guards with a combination of water and electricity. "Good thinking there, Aubre!" they say, before looking at the gate in the far distance that has been activated using a pressure plate. There's no immediate danger, they believe, but ... "Sylph, use Dragon Hammer to get one of those guards on the plate, then catch up with Extreme Speed!" they direct their pokémon, and hop off to make it towards the gate on foot. Depending on what happened in the meanwhile (if the guards got up again), it might be tricky to get the timing right, but they believe in the Togekiss.

They do look behind them, but it seems like something has caused the way back to be closed off - so the only way onward would be upwards. "Let's move quickly."

Shalin Nariya Aubre McKenna-Settentrione
prompt (set up for race against time with sylph, or we use it for another time! o7)

Lutgarde Dijkstra 's reassurance helped, but there was still the reality that she couldn't stand being in this artificial world. She was afraid that it might be the best home for them, were 820 to be destroyed. Out of all the dimensions she had traveled to thanks to the rifts, this Mechanical Kingdom was the closest one to "livable" she had seen... provided there was arable land within.

"...That's what the League is guiding us to believe," Shalin nodded just before the combination of HYDRO PUMP and THUNDER immobilized one of the Volcanion guards. With Aubre's and Sylph's Pokémon working together, they had reopened the distant gate. Those attacks wouldn't stun the guards forever; she had to make her move now. Tossing Firja's Poké Ball beneath her, she let the appearing Glastrier's body fling her upward and astride the legendary ice-type. With a steady gallop, the Pokémon and rider followed their comrades through the now-open gate.

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It's by a hair that they manage to all escape safely, with Lutgarde offering to help Aubree on foot should she need it. Once they're near the gates, Sylph also started racing forward, pushing herself faster and faster with Extreme Speed. Lutgarde quickly moves everyone out of the way, and Sylph hard crashes towards the floor to have it help her lose speed quickly, or she might overshoot way too much. The ranger's running towards their Togekiss, but she just spits to the side, recovering herself on her own with Life Dew. "Way to go, Sylph," Lutgarde smiles, the worry not entirely hidden, as they take out a berry and throw it for Sylph to snack on.

It's only then that they start taking in their surroundings. Sylph has stopped a few ways to something in the middle - a creature with a hole in its middle, but more worrying is ... a giant Corviknight. "Oh-" they say, turning to Shalin and Aubree, and- They stare at the round object in Aubree's hands, which seems to pulsate with soft energy. They then turn towards the creature again, maybe something like a robot, an automaton ... "Does it go there?" they ask the red-haired, before nodding at Shalin.

"We've gotta keep that Corviknight at bay ...!" they say, motioning for Aubree to focus on getting whatever's done that she needs to get done. They don't believe for a second that there's anything malicious coming from that stone and automaton - but maybe that's just their gullibleness. "Sylph, are you up again? Carry Sylv up!" they say as the Corviknight starts to move at their commotion, roaring with mechanical clicks and starting to charge. "I'm- It might be a guardian, focus on disarming, fainting!" they add.

Sylv and Sylph nod as the Sylveon hops onto the Togekiss' back, and they start taking off to meet the Corviknight halfway. Immediately, Sylv starts chanting with a charming, beautiful voice - his tone is soothing, calming. However, from that point, the duo also spots something else - a variety of cages, open and seemingly waiting for prisoners ...

Shalin Nariya Aubre McKenna-Settentrione
prompt battle, flee or become captured by a massive mechanical corviknight that continually hunts you to cage in the castle.