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Luka has to stifle a giggle as well at Annalise's assertation. She doesn't know that many rangers well, but of the ones she's met...[break][break]

Yeah, that would make for an interesting calendar. It would probably also sell though because hoenn is a cyber hungry nightmare, so maybe they should consider it.[break][break]

Following Annalise's lead, Luka grabs a clean cloth and starts to polish the corviknight's feathers. She takes her time with it while Annalise speaks, for she can see that their next customer is a mud-covered Boltund that does not look excited about getting a bath.[break][break]

"Eh? Like...like missions and stuff?" Luka pauses mid-wipe, considering it. There's no question that she's a bleeding heart, with all the tender compassion that might make her an ideal ranger candidate. She just doesn't have the skills to back up her sentiments. She's always been more comfortable behind the scenes, supporting those far greater than herself. It's why she enjoys her work with MATIAS SILPH so much.[break][break]

She's never had the ability to change the world in any meaningful way, and that's always been fine with her. She'd just like to make it a little bit better while she can.[break][break]

"I'm mostly just a pencil pusher," she admits sheepishly. "That, and contest stuff...I'm not sure I would be very, um...useful out in the field. I-it's not that I don't want to! I'd just hate to be a burden."[break][break]

She smiles again, and it's just as bright, though the faintest bit of self-doubt lingers at the corners of her mouth.[break][break]

"But, um...hey! D-do you think the rangers might need, like...someone to help manage PR?" She'd heard a bit about the last ranger meeting from her neighbor, paxton concordas. From the sound of it, they need all the help they can get.[break][break]

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"Okay, okay. Let's take a little break!"[break][break]

With two pokemon clinging to her, it hadn't taken Luka long to tire. After just a quarter hour her neck is starting to ache, and she sighs a little when she plops down on a tall tree stump. Carefully, she removes Purrloin from her shoulders and Murkrow from her head, allowing the two to cuddle up in her lap, should they wish.[break][break]

She spends a while simply resting here, staring up at the trees and watching the day grow between their leaves. In fact, she's so still and silent that a passing Fennekin doesn't even notice her until she shifts slightly on the stump.[break][break]

The little fox startles, and starts to run, but Luka's new Purrloin leaps off her lap and corrals the poor thing. At first Luka starts to protest; she doesn't want a fight! But the meows and yips between the two pokemon start to sound like banter, and it's clear they're already friends.[break][break]

Well, the more the merrier! Purrloin practically drags his friend back over by the scruff of her neck, laying limp like a scarecrow with it's pole snapped, and Luka is more than happy to offer her lap and a few gentle pets to the little baby.

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"Oh my gosh, cuteeee! I love Sylveon. You know, I have—"[break][break]

Luka cuts herself off. This isn't about her, and Cupcake is even tapping her little toes against the floor, waiting for instruction. "Okay, okay! Umm...let's use the routine from the new year's contest! We'll just improvise a few parts...it should be fine!"[break][break]

It's a bit awkward without music, so Luka pulls out her phone and plays one of the songs they'd used in a previous show— not the best quality, but they'll make due with what they have![break][break]

"Hellooooo Slateport!" She calls, not missing a beat even when passerby slow, but don't stop. "My name is Luka, and this is my buddy Marshall! And on behalf of Meow-Meow's Massage Parlor, we'll be putting on a show for you...nya!"[break][break]

It's the start of an adorable performance, really. And slowly, the improvised routine begins to gather a few onlookers. Cupcake leads her partner in a series of easy steps, their routine evoking the mystical feeling of fairies dancing on a moonlit lake. A combination of dazzling gleam and cosmic power collide in midair, creating a celestial shower that entrances the gathering crowd. The Clefable basks in the attention, beaming as she twirls under the light and thrilled to be performing without the pressure of an actual contest.[break][break]

A few people finally recognize Luka from her latest appearance on the contest circuit, and that pulls in even more of an audience. She giggles, takes selfies with fans, and presses fliers into willing hands. Even Marshall's sickly sweet costume garners some attention, with other shoppers asking the model for photos— even without seeing his face![break][break]

When she has a moment, Luka snaps a pic for herself as well(perhaps she'll send it to Amelia Livy someday?). So cute![break][break]

And in the meantime, their stacks of fliers begin to quickly deplete.[break][break]

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"Yes way," Luka insists, though in a battle of compliments she usually ends up the loser, riddled silly with embarrassment. But rather than wave the white flag, she attempts a draw. "A-at least, um, we can say it's both of us! The cutest contest star, and the ranger's cutest...erm, ranger!"[break][break]

That ought to work (please let it work). She's not being deceitful at all. There's nothing empty about Luka's flattery— every saccharine word is almost painfully earnest.[break][break]

And she'd like to believe that Annalise is being just as sincere. Although she wonders, idly, if people are truly flocking because of her rising stardom or because of the bikini. It's probably both. Luka clears her throat and reaches back to tighten the straps of her top, just to be safe.[break][break]

"Mm! Every little bit helps," she agrees with a chiming laugh. "Have you ever thought of doing a swimsuit calendar?"[break][break]

A beat passes. Luka blushes again and crouches down to wipe off the Corviknight's talons.[break][break]

"T-that was a joke, by the way. But seriously...I'd love to help out again sometime, if you'll have me!"

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"Eh? You haven't? You should absolutely be seeing a therapist, Monsieur," Luka scolds lightly. "Your health is important! Especially since—" She cuts herself off before she can finish the thought: since you're getting older.[break][break]

"— since you're a ranger! There are a lot of people counting on you, I'm sure.[break][break]

Nice save.[break][break]

She follows Brandon and Audric to the bench, hovering around them with concern laced clearly through her features. Although she can fix up a cut or scrape without issue, deep tissue injuries are another matter entirely. Luka doesn't have the foggiest idea how one might go around healing something like this, but luckily healing moves don't seem to have any specific parameters.[break][break]

"My Hatterene is a pretty good healer," she affirms, though there's a twinge of doubt in her voice. She isn't quite sure how well this might work on humans, especially on a long-term injury like this one. "So we'll do our best!"[break][break]

Carefully, Luka selects one of the love balls on her belt and tosses it with a slight flourish. From the ball bursts her Hatterene, accompanied by a shower of blue and pink bubbles. Even now, she's all about aesthetics.[break][break]

Luka kneels down and inspects Brandon's knee herself, not that it gives her any further insight. "Use life dew, please," she requests, pointing down at the elite ranger's leg. Parfait squints at the injury, then chimes once and hovers her clawed appendage over it. A stream of cool water bursts forth and drenches Brandon's leg as Luka stares at him, searching his face for any sign of relief.

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"Ehhh...is that so? I guess that makes sense..."[break][break]

thomas nightingale's explanation goes mostly over Luka's head, but that's not his fault. She's too nervous to concentrate properly, thoughts tumbling around her head like wet clothes in a dryer. What she gathers, or thinks she does, is that ghosts— ghost ghosts— are playing a game they don't even know the shape of yet.[break][break]

This is a puzzle then. Ugh...she's never been very good at those. And none of the clues point to anything she can speak of definitively. There's the crackling voice that mentions Rocket, an odd glow around Locke Jamison's...rock thingy, and shades that erupt around them in a frenzy. Luka gasps and throws her hands over her mouth to muffle the sound of a choked scream, watching them with wide, frightened eyes.[break][break]

It occurs to her as well that they seem to be searching for something. What that something is she doesn't know, and there's no time for thought before the eerie chords of a music box begin to play. The sound grates on her ears and rattles around her skull, instilling in her an unease so deep it makes her teeth ache.[break][break]

She doesn't want to be here any longer. It's clear that whatever the spirits are looking for isn't in this room anyways. Luka shudders and listens as thomas nightingale suggests exploring the exhibits further, but she has other ideas. Locke Jamison decides to pair up with the other man, leaving her and Eris Halla to their own devices.[break][break]

"Hey, Madameoiselle! Why don't we, erm...h-head back to the breakroom?" she suggests, tightening her grip on the girl's hand. "If they're playing music, m-maybe it's coming from there? We should, ah...w-we should turn it off."[break][break]

They need to turn it off, especially if Locke Jamison's theory is correct. In the meantime, Luka attempts to soothe her companions and their Pokemon in the short-term. She summons her Clefable, and the fairy's calm mind soon radiates a soothing aura around the group. It may only be a temporary fix, but she hopes that it will at least help to quell some nerves until they can turn the music off.[break][break]

"You two take care, okay? Be careful...and yell for help if anything happens! Let's, um...l-let's plan to meet back here in five minutes!"[break][break]

thomas nightingale and Locke Jamison take off towards another exhibit, and Luka can only hope they've heeded her warning. She smiles down at Eris and tugs her along, treading a path lit by moonlight from her Clefable.[break][break]

As soon as they return to the breakroom, Luka begins the search anew for an intercom switch, a speaker, anything that might be able to shut down the broadcast. The walls are inspected, desks scoured, drawers pulled open— though her Clefable doesn't know what they're looking for, she assists by grabbing a coffee mug and throwing it on the floor.[break][break]

Hey...every little bit counts, right?[break][break]

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- Clefable uses calm mind to try and stop a loss of sanity[break]
- Going back to the breakroom with Eris Halla[break]
- Searching for a music box and/or a way to turn off the broadcast

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It's more like shen, actually, but Luka's too meek to correct Audric on pronunciation. She merely smiles back and gives a little shrug, a subtle 'better luck next time', perhaps.[break][break]

There's a flounce to her step as she walks, pink hair glinting gold under the afternoon sun. Her uniform skirt swishes against her thighs as well, and perhaps that's the reason for the bounce in her stride. She can't help being excited...it's her first time wearing it out on a mission![break][break]

"It's nice to meet you too, Monsieur! The handshake is met with one of her own, prim and smoothly professional. Luka's face has settled into it's natural, contented air, though a storm cloud seems to pass over it when Flowers mentions his injury.[break][break]

"No, um...there's no reason to be embarrassed! You were there...o-on that day, right? It was so horrible...it's an honorable thing you did, being there. Please don't feel bad about it," Luka insists with an emphatic shake of her head. "I'm just glad we can help you out, truly!"[break][break]

She steps back with a sheepish smile, worried that she might be laying it on too thickly. Even though she's working with some of the top ranger members (like annalise henderson) to promote the organization, she's still just a cadet herself. A greenhorn. She doesn't want it to appear too overeager or annoying in front of an elite ranger![break][break]

"Just let us know what you need from us! We'll keep this place, um...super fortified, Monsieur!" The apples of her cheeks stretch wide in a grin, with an enthusiastic thumbs-up to match. Overeager, indeed.

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Admittedly, Luka doesn't know that much about the more obscure legends and myths around Hoenn. It's Kalosian and Sinnohian folklore that she's most familiar with. But of course, she's more than happy to learn! And on their walk towards Route 111, Audric Black had been just as willing to fill her in.[break][break]

She's happy to have been partnered with him again. He seems nice, and the two of them had worked together well last time during the Verdanturf fire. And this time, their assignment is far less dangerous! She's thoroughly enjoying their walk under the sun, their easy chatter, the spectacular sight of the shrine around them.[break][break]

Audric's Cufant toots his horn, and her cotton-candy Ponyta brays cheerfully in response. For a moment, it's just a truly charming scene.[break][break]

"Ehh...I don't know! Maybe! I mean, it sounds really cool," Luka muses, eyes bright as she stares up at the shrine. "Except I don't...mn. Dynamax? What's that?"[break][break]

Is it related to infinity energy? Although honestly, Luka doesn't know much about that either. A biologist like Audric is far more likely to know about this kind of thing than she is. Unfortunately, they don't have much time to chat before Brandon Flowers appears on the shrine path ahead of them, walking with a noticeable limp.[break][break]

"Oh gosh...w-wait there, Monsieur!" Luka calls out. "We'll come to you!"[break][break]

She throws a crooked smile in Audric's direction and quickens her pace, her Ponyta trotting swiftly beside her. "Come on! You can tell me alllll about that Dynamax thingy later!"

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The use of rushing water isn't as effective as she had hoped. Luka clicks her tongue as the barrier of protect shatters, quickly trying to come up with another solution. But someone else is far quicker on the draw, and Luka whirls around when she hears the shouted command.[break][break]

"Madame...Livy?"[break][break]

She wants to ask when the woman arrived but right now it doesn't matter. Instead, she just flashes a terse smile and turns back to the fight, observing the clever way PENELOPE LIVY had used the rushing water to her advantage.[break][break]

Use the terrain. Be clever. Luka screws her eyes shut for a moment, thinking harder than she has in quite a while. The water lapping at her calves is so cold though, and she can't help but shiver. Her eyes flash open.[break][break]

"Bella Luna! Use blizzard!"[break][break]

Her Vaporeon stands upon the waves and takes a breath. When it's released, a powerful, chilling wind blows towards the cultists. The frigid air makes contact with people and pokemon both, but most importantly, the water beneath their feet begins to freeze. Luka can only hope it'll be enough to get some of their opponents stuck in place. Maybe then, they can have a proper talk.[break][break]

In the moments of distraction this provides, Luka once again turns around to face the group's target. Her face twists with confusion as small clumps crawl amoeba-like away from them— is it part of their body? Are they injured?[break][break]

(Plum, in the meantime, has floated up and out of the way, trailing tendrils of dream mist behind her.)[break][break]

"Use life dew," she instructs Parfait in a whisper. The Hatterene wrinkles her brow and stares down at her slumbering target in distaste— the vibes coming off this creature are awful. But after a moment her clawed appendage extends, blasting the creature in the face with a jet of healing water. It's not kind...but it's effective, in it's own way.[break][break]

It doesn't matter to Luka if her magnanimity goes appreciated or not. All Luka can do is hope that a small act of kindness might help this conflict end peacefully.[break][break]

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"Okay!"[break][break]

Assured by Audric's word and the way the Zigzagoon begin crawling towards him, Luka turns her attention back to the fire. Putting it out is slow going, especially in the dry season like this, but it seems as though the combined efforts of every volunteer are helping to keep it in check.[break][break]

Bella Luna seems exhausted though, and Meringue would be struggling much more without her cloud nine ability. A shame that it can't be used to put out forest fires, but nothing in life is ever that easy.[break][break]

After some consideration, Luka withdraws her Vaporeon and releases a Musharna instead. It seems a strange choice until she requests Ume use hydro cannon on the smoldering flames. The powerful burst of water seems to do the trick, putting out several larger areas of flame. Luka grins behind her mask, prepared to welcome Audric and the Zigzagoon back into the air, until she hears a loud SNAP below.[break][break]

"Look out!"[break][break]

The tree is falling so fast that she knows she won't reach it in time. Without sparing another moment to think, Luka hurls a Pokeball towards the ground. It bursts open and her father's Blaziken leaps out, plummeting to earth with a force so great, the ground trembles slightly when he lands.[break][break]

Though he hasn't been in the field in years, Helios' reflexes have never dulled. He seems to grasp the situation almost instantly. Undeterred by the flames, the avian races to the falling pine and catches the trunk before it crashes down. He grunts as he holds it aloft, allowing Audric and the Zigzagoon a narrow window to escape by.

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"Well...it's fine! They're probably just in a hurry. If at first you don't succeed, right?"[break][break]

This time, when Luka tries to hand out a flyer with the same peppy spiel, she's similarly ignored. But the third time's the charm! Or the fourth. Or the fifth...[break][break]

After being brushed off so many times it's hard not to feel discouraged, but the cheerful smile on Luka's face refuses to come unglued. It's clear that just trying to harangue passerby into grabbing a flyer isn't working, so they've got to change tactics![break][break]

"I think we need a different strategy," she whispers over to Marshall. "Have you ever done contests? We're, like, super cute, but Pokemon are waaaay cuter. Just follow my lead, okay?"[break][break]

With the flick of her wrist, a love ball pops open with a shimmer of glittering stars. Luka's Clefable pirouettes into place, chirping happily and attracting the eye of a few shoppers already. A moonlight bursts above her, casting silver moonbeams down upon their little group. The stage is set...now all she needs is a partner![break][break]

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"Got it! D-don't worry, I'll keep you safe!"[break][break]

It's a tall order, and Luka isn't the most qualified. But she's determined to try her best regardless. To have the power to protect others...it's what she's always wanted, isn't it? She can't let anyone down— not her partner, nor the innocent pokemon counting on their assistance.[break][break]

At Luka's behest, Bella Luna keeps up her barrage against the fire. Torrents of water spill from the sky as Luka urges Meringue to swoop down as close to the fire as she can. The closer they get, the hotter it becomes; heat shimmers in the air all around them and the smoke that billows up is thick, oppressive. Luka is fine behind her mask, but her Altaria seems uncomfortable as fluffy white feathers turn sickly grey with ash.[break][break]

She wants to turn away so her Pokemon can breathe better, but Audric is still down there and the flames still burn. If only there were greater bodies of water nearby...it's too difficult for Bella Luna to summon a surf when the air around them is dry and devoid of any moisture.[break][break]

A hydro pump is the best they can do. The surface area isn't as large, but the water pressure is immense. It splashes off of trees and brush like a geyser, and the crackling flames do seem to start to smolder and recede.[break][break]

"How are you doing down there?" Luka yells, able to see Audric a little better now as the wind carries plumes of smoke away from them. "Do you need any help?"

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Luka decides to simply follow the flowers as she walks. Her Purrloin companion has curled around her shoulders in the meantime, draped over them like a living, breathing muffler. It's a bit uncomfortable, but she doesn't complain.[break][break]

Glittering blossoms in various shades of blue wink up at her as they pass. Vaguely, Luka wonders if they're leading her anywhere, but shrugs the feeling off. After all, this is the safari zone. If there are any mysteries to be found, one of the other hundred trainers that traverse these paths would have discovered them by now.[break][break]

She, however, isn't the only one to notice the sparkling flowers. A Murkrow, attracted to anything shiny, is angrily tugging at one of the crystalblooms ahead of them. Luka laughs softly and watches for a moment, but soon takes pity on the poor bird's plight.[break][break]

A few blossoms are carefully picked and she holds them out, beckoning with an easy smile and a little wave. And the Murkrow, attracted to either the blooms in hand or her dazzling smile, flies over in a flurry of fuchsia feathers and settles right on her head, much to the Purrloin's chagrin.[break][break]

It's harder to walk now...but they're both so cute that Luka can't bear to disturb either Pokemon. And so she continues to trek onwards, with two loveable babies weighing her down.

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