Lucilla.

What a nice name for a Houndour. And, to the standards of the HKC (Hoennian Kennel Club), Audric could clearly see that she was an exceptional specimen. However, he always weirded people out when he said the word 'specimen' out loud. He personally didn't think it was demeaning but to each their own he supposed.

Just then, Julien receives a phone notification of his own. It isn't long after that he announces his departure. Audric nods in understanding. "Yeah, no problem! It was nice meeting you, too." He smiles, waving the politician and his Houndour goodbye as his Joltik does the same on his shoulder.

"That was a pretty random encounter, right?" Audric remarks to Michi, opening the can of soda with a hiss. "Who'd have thought I'd meet a politician in a House of Mirrors. I always thought they'd be too busy raising funds for campaigns or something like that."

FIN

✨ PROMPT CLEARED!

✔️ Complete a carnival thread

[break][break]

REFLECTION ROUNDABOUT + 🍁
Julien Demassieux

☉

Audric looks around the Ferris wheel carriage. Then he takes a look outside of it, but they haven't ascended that much yet. "Why's that?" He asks, as his Cufant settles in beside him. The worry that she might be just a little too heavy for this ride is present, but he tries to ignore it for now. Every step she took rocked the carriage, though...

"It's pretty... uneventful. Beside the views, I guess." The black-haired ranger continues, glancing in Paxton's direction but quickly looking away again. That was always the awkward thing about Ferris wheels, wasn't it? Being sat across from someone and feeling the need to fill the silence with noise.

[break][break]

STARFRUIT SASHAY + 🍁
paxton concordas

☉

Audric blushes when he realizes the girl from before has her hands on him now. Meekly, he nods. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine! In fact, I'm ready to go on another ride I haven't been on before." He insists, straightening in posture to seem assured.

Lucy the Cufant toots with approval as she runs circles around the pair. Audric, in the meantime, gets himself together in full before abashedly smiling at the girl. She was pretty cute. And, truth be told, he was hoping to save face by proving his mettle on other rides.

"Would you... wanna come along, maybe? You seem pretty experienced with carnivals." He remarks, extending a hand shortly thereafter. "My name is Audric Black by the way. Nice to meet you."

[break][break]

LAST DAY LAUGHS + 🍁
Victoria Beckett

☉

"Oh, nice. You look like the type to work there, actually. Very well dressed." Audric compliments his companion as their place in line advances once more. "I'm afraid I don't know much about politics here, though. I'm from... well, I'm not from here. Not originally."

Why the secrecy?

He didn't care to draw attention to the fact that he was an ASYLUM SEEKER from the colony on HOLON. But, if Julien looked him up within whatever database he had at his disposal as the KALOSIAN AMBASSADOR, he would likely easily find out anyway. It wasn't exactly confidential knowledge. And there had even been a newspaper article about it some years ago.

When the vendor asks for a payment for Julien's corn dog, stepping in and insisting on purchasing it himself is distraction enough, thankfully. "My treat, remember?" The ranger grins, buying a canned soda for himself.

But that grin dissolves when he sees Julien feed it to his Houndour. "Haha... she really likes it, huh? I have a HOUNDOOM myself. What's her name?"

[break][break]

REFLECTION ROUNDABOUT + 🍁
Julien Demassieux

☉

Audric nods in response to Julien as they get in line, though the phrase doesn't inspire excitement.

Nevertheless, he doubted they would find much else better than a corn dog. Anything that wasn't sweet, anyway. "They deep fry everything here..." He mutters, glancing at a nearby stall as the vendor there dipped a basket of Oreos in pancake batter.

When prompted with a question, however, the black-haired lad turns right back to his present company. "I'm a wildlife biologist and a ranger with VERDANTURF," He answers, turning to show the man the patch on his shoulder. "I navigate forests much better than I do a House of Mirrors, though. I promise." He smiles.

After sparing a moment to step forward, and admiring the cute Houndour by the man's side all the while, Audric continues. "How about you?"

[break][break]

REFLECTION ROUNDABOUT + 🍁
Julien Demassieux

☉

Oh? How long had it been since he'd seen another person? Too long, probably. Thrusting himself into the fray of a carnival was his way of forcing himself to be social again. "Haha, probably," He responds, rubbing the back of his neck with an abashed smile. "I spend so much time alone in wildlife outposts, though, sometimes I forget."

Not that she was worth forgetting, of course. Who knows? Maybe he'd simply taken one zap too many to the head. That would mean he had Michi to blame.

Happy to see the Togepi take the offered carnival treat, however, Audric smiles. "He's so cute. Are you two ready to go? I can lead the way since... you probably can't see too well with that plushie in your hands." The ranger chuckles.

Maybe offering her his hand would help? Wait, no. That was too bold, wasn't it? He shakes the thought out of his head. "Are you sure you don't, um... need any help, Luka? Maybe... hold onto me while we move?"

[break][break]

SHARPSHOOTERS + MISSION
luka chêne 🍁

☉

"Not a fan of sweets, huh..." Audric mutters in thought as his eyes readjust to the sunlight outside of the HOUSE OF MIRRORS. Navigating it had been easy enough with both of their brainpower. They had a very methodical way of rooting out the dead-ends and advancing.

"Oh, how about a corn dog?" He suggests, pointing at a vendor stall nearby. "I hear they make them with all kinds of cheeses these days." The Joltik on its shoulder seems to cheer with its little mandibles.

✨ PROMPT CLEARED!

✔️ Successfully find your way through the house of mirrors

[break][break]

REFLECTION ROUNDABOUT + 🍁
Julien Demassieux

☉

Oh. That was the kid he had accidentally knocked the ice cream cone from. He'd been too embarrassed to approach at the moment, but this kind woman seemed to have handled it well enough. Even so, he can't help the faint blush of red on his cheeks.

At least she hates kids, he thinks. I mean, I don't hate kids. But—

He isn't sure where he's going with this line of thinking, so he snaps out of it. Following the direction of her finger instead, he realizes exactly what he's signed up for by standing here. "Woah... no, I haven't. Is that literally it, though?" He asks with a raised brow. "It just rows back and forth? How bad could that be?"

🍁

He's sat beside Victoria Beckett before he even catches her name. And, before long, they're packed in like sardines before the sailboat begins to swing. It's easy at first. Fun, even. Then it picks up speed and two are pinned backward by gravity and some of Tori's hair accidentally whips his face.

His Cufant, in the meantime, waits for them at the exit and cheers them on with a cute little toot. When it ends, Audric stumbles out of the ride on legs that feel like jelly. Tori might even have to help him up if she feels inclined.

"O-kay... that wasn't what I was expecting." He remarks, trying to balance himself.

✨ PROMPT CLEARED!

✔️ Ride one of the Pendulum rides

[break][break]

LAST DAY LAUGHS + 🍁
Victoria Beckett

☉