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what's a bad miracle.[break][break]

is there a word for that?[break][break]

the way the sky opens up is nothing short of miraculous but it portents calamity instead. their victory over necrozma is short-lived as everything falls to pieces again, and Luka succumbs further to despair.[break][break]

she wants @remiel. she wants to be at home with a mug of hot chocolate, blissfully unaware like always, cuddling with her pokemon and naïve to the darkness that surrounds them all.[break][break]

she had always seen the world the way it could be. now, she sees it as it is.[break][break]

oh god, she thinks. please don't let me lose my kindness over this.[break][break]

as much as she wants to, she can't keep sniveling on the ground like a child. as the wave of shadow pokemon and the creature from the sky descends, luka stands and takes her place to defend this small, sad, struggling land she wants to call home.[break][break]

tuile is still out on the field. her aromatherapy curls in perfumed tendrils around approaching shadow pokemon, hoping to quell their frenzy. and if that doesn't work, she goes for a slightly riskier strategy. aiming her ally switch at the onslaught, she hopes to create chaos among their ranks, make them fight against each other.[break][break]

attention is paid to the struggling lake trio as well. as mespirit is toppled under the weight of shadow assailants and the jewel breaks, luka steps in to try and save them.[break][break]

she kisses the love ball for safekeeping and releases a clefable. the little fairy doesn't stray far from her side, but nods in understanding of her role. though the moon is obscured she dances just as she might when it's round and full, and collapses into luka's arms moments later.[break][break]

she's recalled just as quickly, the lunar dance complete.[break][break]

the lunar wing, tucked safely under her blouse, feels cold against her skin.[break][break]

---

[break][break][break]
- florges uses aromatherapy to try and calm some of the rampaging shadow pokemon
- florges attempts to use ally switch to make the shadow pokemon attack each other
- clefable uses lunar dance to heal mespirit and hopefully repair it's jewel. she faints and is recalled[break][break]
- used 3 salacs

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Woah...it seems her frustrations paid off![break][break]

She feels a little bad though. It's not like her to get upset, even if she has a thousand good reasons to be so.[break][break]

Luka sighs and stretches out on Madeleine's back, trailing her fingers through the water. When they reach shallower water, her fingers bump up against something unnatural, and she pulls it out with a vague curiousity.

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---

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"MATIAS SILPH!"[break][break]

Luka does her best to appear intimidating. She looks about as frightening as a marshmallow.[break][break]

"This is for yesterday!" she shouts, and throws the ball with all her might.[break][break]

---

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"Oof. Well, that didn't really work out, did it?"[break][break]

It's a bit frustrating that they could pull of the Magikarp Splash, but not this! Luka huffs and pats Mantine's back in what she hopes to be encouragement.[break][break]

"But it's okay! We'll get it this time!"[break][break]

And like that, the pair tries for an Over the Gyarados yet again!

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---

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This time, Luka goes careening into the water like a ragdoll. Water goes up her nose and when she finally rises, gasping and spluttering, she realizes she'd nearly lost her bikini top in the process.[break][break]

Mantine has the decency to look apologetic, at least, but Luka still huffs and storms off- though it's less dramatic when she's wading through chest-deep water.[break][break]

She feels bad for snapping, so when she returns a while later it's with a handful of treats for the water type. At first they seem wary, but then swim up and bump their little antenna against her leg.[break][break]

"Sorry about that," Luka coos. "I just wasn't ready...but let's try again, okay?"[break][break]
Refreshed and renewed, the pair tries Over the Gyarados yet again.

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---

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THEO BECKETT looks like someone who might skin you alive if you dunked him.[break][break]

When Luka steps up to bat and sees him sitting there, she tries to pawn off her ball on someone else. No one accepts. Luka bites her lip, shifts from foot to foot, and throws the ball terribly on purpose. She's not trying to die today.[break][break]

---

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Another Pokeball.[break][break]

If it wasn't littering, she would have drawn her arm back and flung it into the ocean...[break][break]

If she gets another one on this next dive, though, she's going to lose it.

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---

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Shoujo manga is the highest class of literature, actually. Ouran High School Host Club should be required reading in schools. At least, Luka will argue as much. It has everything. Saccharine romance, heart-throbbing plotlines, handsome men and the cutest girls...[break][break]

There's no better genre. And yet she's always a little too embarrassed to gush about it much. Others might pass it off as silly or shallow, but what's the matter with wanting to indulge in a simple, sweet romance?[break][break]

Still, it's enough that she's a little embarrassed to be reading it in public. But this series is so compelling, and she only has so many hours in the day. So during a break from work she can't help but devour the latest volume in the corner of a cozy cafe.[break][break]

The first time she notices someone else looking at her, she passes it off as a coincidence. Heaven knows the number of times she'd accidentally stared at someone else in the midst of a daydream. She smiles softly, returns to her book, and forgets about it almost immediately.[break][break]

Only it happens again, and again, and again. Eventually there's no mistaking it: a pretty girl is looking at her. And even as a taken woman, Luka can't stop a delicate blush from rising to her cheeks.[break][break]

And then she spots it, on the table. The cover of a series she had just started herself! She had almost immediately fallen for the main love interest's stoic charm...he reminded her, in a way, of @remiel. But the manga is even juicier than any real life romance! She wonders if the other woman had gotten to the part where he helped the protagonist up, where it was so significant since he hated human contact...[break][break]

She wants to talk about it. And if that means she has to be the one to bridge the gap, so be it! Luka rises, book in one hand and pink lemonade in the other, and walks over to the woman's table.[break][break]

"Hi! Sorry, um, I couldn't help but notice..." Drenched in politeness, Luka still feels a little awkward about approaching the other woman first, even though they'd been playing eye tag for almost a quarter hour. [break][break]

"It's just...your book! I love that series. Have you gotten very far yet? Isn't, like...isn't the love interest so dreamy?"

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“Hey!”[break][break]

Luka shoots Percy her best attempt at a glare. It's not very convincing. Her lips are pursed, and her eyes narrow in an approximation of how a furious person might behave. [break][break]

He’s not wrong, but of course the kids take his assessment and run with it. In the span of just a minute Luka has been given her government assigned cat name (Sprinkles) and resigns herself to her fate. The older child- the girl- smugly pats her on the head while addressing Percival. [break][break]

“You’re daddy! You just gotta do daddy things! Like come home from work and talk about stonks…and you gotta kiss mommy! That’s what daddies do! Mmm…and then we talk about the bills, yeah! Elec- electwicity is high this month, mhm…” She hums thoughtfully. “And then, and then! We make dinner, um…and our baby can play with Sprinkles…”[break][break]

---

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Two hours and an inordinate amount of meowing later, and Luka is completely exhausted. But, thankfully, so are the kids. Slumped over on the sofa, half-asleep, they finally allow the house a moment’s peace. [break][break]

Half empty cartons of juice and snack packs litter the floor, and Luka tiptoes around them as she flits to Percy’s side. A finger is raised to her smiling lips and her voice is barely above a whisper.[break][break]

“Think we can get them to bed without a fuss?”

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It’s a friendly banter that flits between them, but that doesn’t stop Luka’s cheeks from pinkening or her gaze to turn abashed. But fluster gives way to more laughter, a happy smile. An onslaught of compliments raises self esteem up on tippy-toes; maybe, for once, she almost believes him.[break][break]

She’s pretty in a fragile sort of way, like a rose. A Pristine; white with a trace of pink along the outside, And when you pick it, all the petals fall off.[break][break]

And like a flower, her smile blooms when Mars extends his invitation. [break][break]

“Really? Waah, thank you! You’re an angel!”[break][break]

Craft services have nothing on a nice dinner on Mars’ dime. And though she might normally protest or offer to split the bill, Luka has long since learned to accept her friend’s generosity. As evidenced by the elaborate shoot going on around them, he can more than afford it.[break][break]

“It’ll be nice to take a break. You’re working hard too! I guess it’s a good thing you don’t do the shoots too...I'm worried you'll burn out if you stretch yourself too thin!" The slightest pout is replaced by another grin. "But you do look good in the hat!”[break][break]

She reaches up to bat the pom-pom at the end of Mars’ santa hat, just like any one of his Meowth might. The bell tied around it jingles in tune with her chiming laughter. A few of the cats look on enviously, and Nutmeg meows.[break][break]

“Take a few with me then. Pleaseeee? Even if it’s just for fun! You can put it on the bank’s social, a behind the scenes kind of thing…” Eager hands wind around his arm and tug him forwards. “We’ll be cute together! And then it’s right back to work, promise.”


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As soon as Marilee agreed to lunch, Luka pulled out all the stops.[break][break]

An elegant cafe in Lilycove is one of her favorite spots to treat herself. It's a little taste of home in the middle of Hoenn; the charming outdoor tables would look right at home on any street in Lumiose, and the interior decor is just as reminiscent of a cozy Kalosian establishment. And the food, of course, is just as nostalgic. Lumiose galettes and macarons and crepes are her go-tos, but of course there's an entire menu that doesn't just comprise of sweets.[break][break]

And quite the list of cocktails as well. Hopefully Mari will be in the mood to indulge...for Luka intends to pull out all the stops![break][break]

She waits by the entrance for Mari to arrive, fiddling idly with the strap of her purse. Kitten heels click against the pavement, though it's not impatience but excitement that has her rocking back and forth. She hasn't seen her darling friend in so long, after all!

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Once again, she appreciates Elisabeth's class and grace. The woman's subtle elegance is made evident all around them; from her own demeanor to the interior of her shop. And yet, she still makes herself seem so approachable. Luka rounds another corner and meets the florist at her orchid display, stepping perhaps a bit too close.[break][break]

"It's the most important message at all," she explains, deadly serious. Green eyes go wide and imperative. "It's love."[break][break]

A sigh seems to pass through her entire being, tension easing out of nervous fingertips. And from it bubbles laughter as mystically delicate as any of the gentle blooms around them. "Gosh! I haven't really said it out loud much. It still feels kind of surreal..."[break][break]

Carnation pink adorns her cheeks. "Oh! It's for, um, m-my boyfriend. It's not just a random confession or anything! And I mean, it's like...okay, well, just get red roses, right? But I want, like..."[break][break]

She gestures vaguely, as though that'll help her articulate her point. Perhaps that's why she likes flower language so much: at once both simplistic and complex, able to convey a multitude of meanings in a manner far more elegant than mere words could ever hope to achieve.[break][break]

"There's carnations or tulips or camellias, but I just can't decide! I think I'd like to throw in a few other meanings too, but I don't want it to look a mess..."

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