She flipped through the final pages, triple checking everything, smiling affectionately as she let Gwen nerd out a bit. It was familiar, and endearing. She’d definitely been there about different topics.

“Those fossils are cool, I guess, in a funny kinda way,” she said. “It’s just nice to see a fellow nerd out in the wild.”

The ghost of fingertips trailed across her memories, a hand delving into a blank void. Flashes of red, the hissing of an arrow flying. Nothing but brief glimpses, and nothing heavy enough to hurt any longer.

“Speaking of wingspans, I’m actually working on making a metalloid that can replicate flight. For any dragons who’ve lost wings.” She’d made it for Lyune, specifically, but it had multiple applications.

At the mention of Noivern pits, she pulled a face. “Ew. No, but I’m sure I could make something up if you don’t wanna go do that right now?”

Gwen didn't feel like a nerd, at least in the traditional sense, since coming to Hoenn. It had been a pretty weird time in her life, uprooting her entire life for Robin, becoming more active and ultimately, being a somewhat normal member of society.

But the League and Hoenn were anything but normal.

”Metallic wingspans? Sounds pretty cool, but won't those attract lightning and thunder for the ones at higher elevations?”

Gwendolyn had thought the concept was worthwhile, especially for the more vulnerable species whose wings were extremely vulnerable. Although she wondered how it wouldn't weigh them down or affect their flight ability.

”I'm kind of for it, though. And if you had a sudden job you needed help with so I don't have to go there, I'd appreciate it.”

She chuckled to herself at the plan, then found Gishath attempting to sneak an entire Tauros flank inside of his mouth, which far exceeded what the Gabite was capable of. She scolded him while the smaller dragon-type let out a muffled hiss and ran away from her.

She flips her pen over her fingers like a cool kid in school and hums a note. “Well, maybe? It’s a prototype. Being capable of flight is the first step. Then there’s all the nervous-replicative programming, binding to the skeletal structure, yadda yadda.” She bounced the end of the pen against the counter in a repetitive noise. “I’m not expecting anyone to be flying at altitudes where being a lightning rod is a concern… because at that point anyone flying in the sky is liable to get struck.”

She spins the pen and thinks.

“The idea is that the metal becomes a vascular structure, like… a living wingbone. I reverse-engineered it from one of those weird metal ‘mons that keep popping up.” Her train of thought is derailed as Gishath looks like a Sandaconda trying to swallow something way too big for his mouth, and she falls apart into little giggles, then full on laughter, at the sight of him running from his trainer.

"Huh, I like it! You've really thought this through. Have you ever thought about-"

Gwendolyn stopped as she attempted to grab the fleeing Gabite but was thwarted after he dived to the side. After a few inches away from his owner, another muffled hiss came out. She groaned and lowered herself down to her knees to go for a dive.

"Ever thought about something less rigid? I mean, yeah, you give up durability for flexibility, but I'm sure that a lot more Pokemon could benefit from- Gotcha!"

Gwen dove at the Gabite and wrapped her arms around him after one final dive. She laughed and rolled him into her arms before attempting to wrestle the flank from Gishath's toothless maw. He growled at Gwen as the two continued to fight.

"From something where the wings are less boney and more like membranes. I'd love to combo up or help on it, if you think you could use the help!"

She turns to lean back against the counter, palms on the edge.

“The problem is when you focus on flexibility you give up strength. Something like a membranous covering would work, but only for small species’. The larger ones would just rip and tear because the lifting force required to get off the ground is too high.”

She boosted herself up on the counter and watched the spectacle. Dinner and a show.

“It’s also difficult to get the electrical currents you need to simulate nervous reflexes to flow through somelike like a canvas or a silicon-rubber type material. There’s a reason most technology has interior alloys. It could, theoretically, be maintained with a skeletal structure, but then you’re back at square one of not enough strength. The alloy I created is incredibly thin, incredibly strong, and doubles as an alveolar structure to help boost flight possibility.”

Ana continued to be entertained by the sight of this girl struggling to contain this gremlin of a Gabite. Even while his owner had him on the ground with her, he was still valiantly trying to keep his steak for himself. Their action took them around the floor in a ball, with Gwen struggling to keep an arm on him at times.

"Huh, I never thought of it that was. I guess that's WHY-"

She grunted, stretching her arm out to regrab Gishath's leg as he managed to break free from her grasp. He hissed and continued to

"Why you're the person right for the job. If one of my dragons ever needs one, I know exactly who to go to. Hopefully that day's a long ways from now."

Gishath and managed to escape her grasp again and continued to shake his head around with the steak in his mouth. While still not about to swallow most of the steak, he could take small chomps from the parts that had defrosted inside of his mouth. A soft growl escaped from him before Gwen launched herself at him again.

With the dragon-type in her arms, she began to tug at the steak until eventually...

"Got it!"

The Ranger pulled out the half eaten steak in a victorious manner! Gishath hissed again and tried to jump up to recollect his bounty but alas, no luck.

"Phew! Anyway, are you working on anything else while helping out here?"

She grins, watching the hijinks ensue. Dinner and a show.

“Yeah, I’ve thought about it a lot. It never hurts to be prepared.”

When prompted, she checks her phone, to view the remainder of items on her to-do list.

“I have to go check on the salination system for the Skrelp nursery, next. It’s been on the fritz. We could do that and then tackle the guano pits together?”

"Really?" Gwen asked, surprised at the offer. "Wow, that's a first. Usually people just run the moment that I bring up the guano pits. But if you wouldn't mind, I would appreciate the help. Besides," The younger Ranger smiled at Ana, her eyes brimming with excitement at the prospect of hanging out further. "I'd love to chat some more. You're the first tech head that I've run into here."

Gishath grumbled at the lack of the steak his way, but he followed Gwen and Ana out as they wandered out to their next task at hand.

"You're quickly becoming the coolest woman I know. Besides Freya. A-And Robin."