It had been a fairly normal day all things considered. Lucia had been enjoying a day to herself. Lounging outside in the park after trying to train with Hero and the rest of her team before something had felt "off" around her. Something like the air was just shaking. Could air vibrate like that? Microwaves worked that way, didn't they?

"You feel that, Hero? It's weird but, it's like something's happening."

Suddenly, a hole in the space beside her had opened, drawing her inside. She tried to clutch the ground to keep in place but she was pulled inside and sucked into wherever this led. Hero, not one to allow his trainer go, jumped in after her as the two were transported elsewhere. Lucia spun in place as she continued to fall downwards.

The world around her would continued to spin and spin, until it can to a merciful end.

Lucia landed in some strange building, the roof was nonexistant and landed on something soft below. She let out a soft thud on top of an old mattress and looked up to see the familiar shade of Hero speeding towards her. The sight of him falling so fast caused her to quickly clutch onto the mattress and pull it over to his incoming landing. Much like his owner, he landed safe and sound, while a bit rattled.

"That was a close one." Lucia said, breathing a sigh of relief. "But where are we?"

This didn't like like the park in Mauville. Or any sort of place that was in Hoenn. It was like they had been transported into some strange clockwork area. A look outside a dilapidated window showed the landscape consisted of gears and more. It was like she had been shrunk down and shoved into one of those weird old clocks that every old person had in their house. The two slowly picked themselves from the bed and began to explore.

The bed room was connected outside to what appeared to be some type of theater. An empty stage lay outside with a backroom of untouched costumes and an audience seating area which was caked with dust. The child wandered on stage and looked up at the giant clock tower standing in the middle of the area. The pair gazed forth as they continued to explore around the theater.

But then, it began to emit a strange sound as the panels opened to exposed its innards. A mysterious melody erupted from the speaks inside, crackling to life and bathing the area in its glow.

"What? It's some weird cuckoo clock or something! I wonder why..."

Lucia's eyes glazed over as her body fell limp, becoming entranced in whatever melody had been playing in the clock tower. The song wormed itself into her head and seemed to cycle on endlessly, even after it had closed. The child quietly would feel a smile warp onto her face as she began the steps to a ballet recital that the tune had reminded her of.

"..."

Hero buzzed at his owner, wondering what had been wrong with her as she would begin to dance for him. His cries and buzzing didn't seem to shake out of of the trance, as all he could do was to try and nudge her until she came to.

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04. experience your emotions being overridden by the song sung periodically throughout the kingdom; conversely, become cursed by the song and find yourself perpetually dancing before breaking the curse (e.g. dampening sound).

DESIREE BLOOMS

☉

By the time that Lucia had been discovered by Desiree, she was fully entranced in the song of the kingdom, performing a ballet routine in full tutu and regalia. An empty look of elation was painted on her face as she dancing along, ignorant of the songstress's words as she approached. The child just danced along to an unheard melody.

"..."

A Dunsparce was still by her side, attempting to avoid being squashed by her movements. It hissed at Desiree in alarm, raising its tail for her to come and assist him is saving his trainer. The child continued on dancing for her imaginary audience silently, carefully spinning on the tops of her toes while Desiree's Pokemon cast DISARMING VOICE onto the child. The move had been enough to stir Lucia from what had controlled her. Very briefly, her eyes would flutter while emotion returned to her face.

"Wh-Whuh....Hoeh? What happened?" She muttered, looking around her as the Dunsparce by her feet would let out a joyful cry while the younger girl let out a confused, sluggish noise. "I remember a song and everything gets fuzzy...Thanks for the-" The child shook her head as the view of her savior came into being, only for Lucia to let out a sudden gasp at the face which she had plastered everywhere! On her phone background, the posters in her room, even on her many playlists. "D-Desiree? As in THE Desiree Blooms?!" A smile widened on the child's face, shaking off whatever stupor she had been in.

She was quick to come back to normal, ready to explode with excitement. "This is the best day of my life! I know you hear this always, but your music's helped me through so much of my life! I love your work! Augh!" She managed to reign herself in enough to focus on the task at hand. Desiree wanted to know about how she came to be here. Lucia nodded after a few more times of clearing her thoughts of singing praise after praise. "Hero and I were enjoying a day off when a weird hole opened up near us and sucked us inside." Her eyes went down to look at her attire, as Lucia's eyes narrow in confusion. When she put on a tutu? But something else had caused her to suddenly begin to panic.

"W-Wait, my jacket! Where'd it go? Did I put it somewhere when I changed into this?" Lucia sped around, trying to locate the article of clothing with a frenzy in her voice. "I can't leave it here. I-It's got to be around here somewhere!"

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DESIREE BLOOMS

☉