"This time, I promise not to touch anything I shouldn't."[break][break]
She flashed Fletcher Hyland a wry smile. Releasing Moxie and Millie, she allowed the Espeon and Umbreon to flank her as they descended further into the mechanical kingdom. Moxie nudged Millie affectionately with his nose before taking up position. A little added protection couldn't hurt, after all; and besides, the two of them were always a comfort to Delilah.[break][break]
She strained her ears to try and identify any music in-between the groaning and grinding of gears. Last time, an ethereal music-box tune had captivated her; only after did she consider that it might have been a method of hypnosis. To what end, she had no idea. This place seemed to have a mind of its own, but whether it had a purpose...that was yet to be seen.[break][break]
Her ankle, still wrapped in a light brace, twinged with a dull pain when she walked on it, but her mobility had vastly improved since the initial injury. Fletcher had been loath to let her come back here so soon, but she'd talked him into it.[break][break]
She'd made a mess of things last time, and she wanted to prove that she could handle herself...that she was fit to explore these rifts like the many other prominent Hoenn personalities that had already made their way through them countless times.[break][break]
"You take the lead," she deferred to Fletcher.

TAGS – Fletcher Hyland[break]
NOTES – mechanical kingdom #2

[attr="class","pkmn"]

Fletcher stopped walking, and Delilah nearly crashed right into him. Catching herself against his arm, she blushed slightly at the unexpected contact.[break][break]
She followed his gaze, staring up at the ruined painting with open fascination. Thick dark hair cascaded over one shoulder as she cocked her head in contemplation.[break][break]
"Looks like a little girl," she decided, squinting. "Is that a...tiara? Maybe she was a princess."[break][break]
Fletcher's question echoed through the grand hallway, and the touch of genuine interest in his tone of voice wasn't lost on Delilah. It was jarring to hear him sound interested in his surroundings for once, but it was also...nice. A minor victory in the war against apathy.[break][break]
"I think...it may have been some sort of castle?"[break][break]
The League called this rift the Mechanical Kingdom, didn't they? Though it was a chaotic mess of a realm, she could see the resemblance to a vast estate. Had there been a royal family, then?[break][break]
"Let's keep moving," she suggested, limping past him towards what appeared to be some sort of elevator shaft. Moxie and Millie padded forward, sniffing the air expectently. "Maybe there are more clues on other floors."

TAGS – Fletcher Hyland[break]
NOTES – mechanical kingdom #2[break]

[attr="class","pkmn"]

There was no panel of buttons by the door, as would be expected for an elevator. Instead, the entire contraption groaned to life as soon as everyone - human and Pokemon - had boarded. With a jolt, they began to sink slowly downwards, which surprised Delilah - hadn't they arrived at ground level?[break][break]
Clearly not.[break][break]
"I'm fine," she lied, shifting uncomfortably. "Hardly any pain. Doctor says the brace can come off in a week."[break][break]
The last thing she wanted was for him to think her weak.[break][break]
The elevator shuddered, and Delilah paled; without thinking twice, she grabbed onto Fletcher's arm to steady herself. There was no way to tell if the machinery was malfunctioning, or if this was typical. How old was this place, anyway? And who maintained everything in it?[break][break]
A sudden spike of anxiety coursed through the idol. Her body tensed, seeming to anticipate imminent danger. The elevator screeched to a halt, but the doors did not open. Several seconds passed, the silence deafening.[break][break]
And then the elevator dropped, falling at an incredible speed. Delilah was thrown backwards by the force, causing her to scream.

TAGS – Fletcher Hyland[break]
NOTES – mechanical kingdom #2[break]

[attr="class","pkmn"]