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Three knocks echo on the door of Matias' ranch.[break][break]

It's the same knock Luka uses whenenever she's entering his office: one slow rap, a pause, then two quick taps.[break][break]

She always knocks so quietly, as though she's afraid of intruding even though they'd agreed to meet today. When the door opens Luka smiles tentatively, trying not to let any judgement cloud her expression as she gives Matias a quick once-over. Her eyes graze over the ankle monitor and quickly return to his face.[break][break]

"Hey," she says, holding up an armful of groceries like a peace offering. The togepi strapped to her back via baby carrier coos a lazy greeting as well. "You holding up okay?"[break][break]

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As soon as the other rangers start divulging their recovery efforts, Luka's pen begins to move.[break][break]

She takes careful notes, making sure to mark down anything that might denote a positive change or experience for civilians. Although she's only operated on the fringes of most efforts, it's her job to keep public morale towards the rangers up both outside their ranks, and within them. Hearing about all the positive work being done is a very uplifting thing— and if paxton concordas is to be believed, this meeting is already going far better than the last one.[break][break]

A little smile graces her lips as she leans back in her chair, going over her notes while there's a lull in speaking. Though she also takes a moment to wave at Audric Black from across the room, happy to see her ranger buddy again.[break][break]

There's things she'd like to discuss as well: upcoming fundraisers, a push for new uniforms— fluff, mostly. ollie morales is discussing serious matters for now, so she'll leave that be. But hopefully there's time for some fun stuff at the end!

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- ur PR girlie is sitting and judging u all with a cutie lil smile

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"Oh, um..."[break][break]

He really is too kind. It really isn't the time or place, but Luka can feel her cheeks warm with yet another blush. The gentle sincerity in Isaac's words is what gets to her the most; she doesn't feel like he's patronizing her or buttering her up with empty sentiments. It feels nice.[break][break]

Nice in a way that she hasn't felt for some time— nice in a way that makes her feel comfortable. The color in her face might speak to her easily besotted heart but even without that, she's deeply appreciative of every ounce of goodness shown to her.[break][break]

The way he speaks makes her wonder if he can relate to her, though it's hard to imagine someone as seemingly conpetant as he is ever struggling the way she has. Then again, it gives her hope that maybe someday she can be even half as useful to the people around her, and repay the kindness he's granted her twofold.[break][break]

"Are you an angel?" she asks, and then laughs— the statement is a bit saccharine even for her. "No, I mean it! Y-you've really been so nice, and I really appreciate it." She smiles. "And I'm sure your friends feel the same way about you too."[break][break]

His friends, and likely his Pokemon too. They way they worked in tandem together was truly admirable— a display of true trust and devotion. Luka glances around at her own team, the smile on her face mirroring Isaac's as Bonbon hops towards her, and Plum's dream mist swirls around her shoulders like a comforting hug.[break][break]

But she's getting carried away! They're not quite done here, and Isaac's suggestion is a welcome one. Luka really isn't a cave girlie, and getting back into the fresh air sounds more and more appealing by the second.[break][break]

"Okay! That sounds wonderful. I'd like to bring Sugar with us too...she's helping a lot, I think." Her Sylveon's ribbons tighten around her arm, and the fairy type purrs happily in agreement as she nuzzles against Luka's leg. "Uhmm...oh! There's a really nice spot in Petalburg woods that I just adore...I planted some flowers there a while ago, actually. It's a bit far, b-but do you mind if we go there?"

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Luka's well aware that her opinion is an unpopular one, especially in a place like this. And she too doesn't have the will to argue. It doesn't mean they can't work together, and it doesn't mean she thinks of Derek any differently.[break][break]

The League is filled with people from all walks of life after all. If she thought of everything in absolutes and only valued her own opinions, would that really make her any different from the Rockets they're fighting against?[break][break]

"Yeah," she confirms, tossing her hair back and offering Derek a smile, "I think we'll both know, so don't worry about that. It's, um..."[break][break]

She pauses, biting her lip. She'd like to tell Derek exactly what she's looking for, but possessing the lunar wing doesn't come without it's share of danger. Lulu Flint is still after them, and she doesn't want to put her companion in unnecessary peril. But Derek is her friend (she thinks), a former gym leader, a skilled battler. She can trust him, can't she?[break][break]

"Can you keep a secret?"

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[break]
MP Fund:[break]

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Luka understands his reasoning, but that doesn't mean she likes it. Shoot first, ask questions later has never been her style. If she was thinking more clearly she might be more appreciative that Derek is just trying to protect her, but she hates the thought that it comes at the expense of another innocent creature.[break][break]

Innocent might not be the word others would use, but hasn't anyone taken the time to consider that these bizarre new Pokemon are just as frightend by all of this as they are?[break][break]

The paradox Misdreavus, caught up in a hurricane laced with Ume's hypnosis, falls silent a moment later. Once the dust clears it's ghostly form remains hovering in the air, clearly injured but also fast asleep.[break][break]

"No," Luka says quietly, turning away from the smouldering creature in front of them, "It isn't."[break][break]

She takes a moment to try and get her bearings, though that's all but impossible amidst the oppressive fog all around them. The lunar wing around her neck doesn't seem to be responding to anything either, though that doesn't mean much. It's not like it's ever signaled for Cresselia before.[break][break]

"B-but, um, thank you! I don't want it to seem like...I-I appreciate you looking out for me. I'm just tired of fighting all the time, that's all."

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MP Fund:[break]

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"Theatre?"[break][break]

Luka blinks at him, taken aback by the abrupt question, but good-natured laughter flutters through the air a moment later. "Ehe, not really! But, umm...I do contests now, actually. So I guess that kind of counts?"[break][break]

Milo doesn't have to worry about insulting her— she's too oblivous to notice half the time, and too forgiving when it actually comes down to it. Carefree and easygoing, she seems like the last person that should be on a mission here. Then again, her sticky-fingered companion doesn't seem the type either.[break][break]

Of course, she has no real reason to suspect him of anything yet. Though he hasn't answered her question, not really, and a more mistrustful person might pick up on that immediately. But as it is Luka just gives Milo a tentative smile, trying her best to be understanding.[break][break]

"So, like...a rebellious phase? I get that. I think I had one when I was a kid too." She didn't. "But still, gosh! Well, I'm glad you're working with the league n-"[break][break]

Her voice abrubtly cuts off. There's a moment of pressing silence, then Luka whispers, "Did you hear that?"[break][break]

In the distance, faintly, comes the sound of something dragging against the rock walls of the cave.[break][break]

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MP Fund:[break]

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Derek takes the plunge first, but Luka is quick to follow. For a few moments the haze of the interdream zone is disorienting, but she's been in it enough that she knows what to expect.[break][break]

Unfortunately, what she can expect is a treacherous place that blurs dreams and reality, with unkown dangers lurking amidst the fog. Although Luka notices the bizarre Misdreavus as soon as it appears overhead, Derek is the one who acts first— quicky and offensively.[break][break]

"W-what are you doing?!" she exclaims, absolutely flabbergasted. "The poor thing hasn't even done anything to us yet!"[break][break]

But their sudden aggression has made it angry. Just as the ferocious flames reach the Misdreavus it shrieks and dives in, approaching at an alarming speed before suddenly vanishing. Luka blinks, then searches around wildly for the creature to no avail.[break][break]

"Where did—" Just before she can ask it appears again, ramming into the Charizard with a full-throttle Phantom force. Another ghostly shriek echoes around them as Luka releases her Musharna, trying her best to stop the fight before it escalates further. "Use hypnosis!" she shouts, and can only pray that her little tapir's spell will actually work on their target.

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MP Fund:[break]

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"Because I miss you."[break][break]

Such a blunt admission surprises even her. Luka flushes slightly and stares down at the floor, furious with herself for sounding so foolish. It's been months— they've been split up just as long as they've been together, at this point. To admit that she's still hung up on him after all he's done to her is truly pathetic.[break][break]

But even though every fiber in her being is urging her to flee, Luka stands her ground. For Remiel's half-baked explanations are truly infuriating, and her humiliation is quickly turning into righteous indignation. Even though he'd let her go she steps closer to him, standing nearly chest-to-chest as she stares into his expressionless mask. [break][break] "But I don't— I don't understand! How can I? If you're so bad for me, why did you ask me out in the first place? Why would you pretend to care? A-and why do you just keep coming back? You were the one who wanted to get involved. You were the one who asked me to dance tonight! Y-you can't just act like you want me and then pull back when it's convenient for you. The least you could do is tell me why!"


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- dress & mask

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The interdream zone seems to be messing with her comms headset.[break][break]

Luka taps her ear in frustration, but only manages to get static in response. It's been like this for every channel she's tried, and she's starting to wonder if her device is malfunctioning, or if Rocket has managed to scramble their signals enough that nothing goes through.[break][break]

She continues walking through the labyrinthine cave system, checking her six and trying to tap into a working feed. For a while, crackling static is her only companion, but eventually a few garbled words manage to filter through the noise. For a moment she thinks she's imagined it, but the voice comes through again, clearer this time.[break][break]

"Hello?" she almost shouts back, not thinking about who might be on the other side, "Can you hear me?"

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"I know, but we can't just open them out in...well, out in the open like this! That's like saying...hey, Rocket! Come steal our stuff! Besides, I'm sure it's not bombs."[break][break]

Perhaps if they find a good enough place to stop— the cave systems in the ultra deep sea are home to myraids of cracks and crevices and little places to hide. But that's a waste of time, and Luka is still able to reign in her curiousity enough that she doesn't suggest it.[break][break]

She continues her upbeat pace by Milo's side, seemingly undeterred by the gloominess around them. In contrast to her partner, Luka's a floating ball of pastel pink. You know that one meme with the pink house and the black one right next to it? That's them.[break][break]

Of course, she is nervous— frankly, downright terrified of what might be lurking around every corner. But she does her best not to let it show, lest she unnerve her partner as well. Luka isn't strong, and she's hopelessly naive and too optimistic. At least the latter of those traits is enough to keep her from completely breaking down in this awful place.[break][break]

"I guess...mm, that's good to know! Uhm, but...w-why would you be fighting with a Ranger?"[break][break]

They're the good guys, after all. Heck, she's a ranger, at least on paper. A brow quirks curiously, though she refrains on passing any judgement until she hears him out.[break][break]

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MP Fund:[break]

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"Sorry, sorry! I'm not—" Luka does her best to remove any hints of frustration in her voice, because she isn't upset with Isaac at all. She's mad at herself. "I-I didn't mean to make it sound like— I appreciate all of your advice, really! It's just like...you know. Y'know?"[break][break]

She eases back into her usual smile like pulling on a sweater, the kind that's old and familiar and stretched out in some places, but fits so comfortably that it's impossible to get rid of. It might seem that it's being pulled out of nowhere, but she is a contest star. Putting on a face is just part of the job.[break][break]

"I don't really know if I want to be that good of a battler, though. It's not really...before I moved to Hoenn, I didn't even know how." The present circumstance necessitate it, but she won't get into it now. That's a whole other monster. "I just want to be enough to protect the people I care about without holding them back."[break][break]

It sounds like a noble goal, and maybe it is. But to Luka's ears she sounds silly and selfish, a whining little girl who can't seem to do anything right.[break][break]

"Meditation? Mmm..." A pause. "I do yoga sometimes?"[break][break]

But she definitely seems the type to do it less for the mindfulness and more to look good in a swimsuit.[break][break]

"Do you think it'll help?" She looks down at her Pokemon for their opinions, but Plum is the only one who seems to know anything about it. Come to think of it, the sleeping tapir is probably in a near meditative state all the time, isn't she?[break][break]

"I think it's worth a try," Luka continues, "For some reason, I feel a lot calmer now." She hasn't put the pieces together yet. "Soooo we should probably ride this train while we can, right?"

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