”CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE WON!”

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Again.

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For the sixth time this month, apparently. Either the scammers had gotten sick of sending emails and reverted to paper-trail scams after they'd miraculously found out about her home address, or this was a genuine contest she'd won. Not that she remembered the who, what, when and where of its participation, however.

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Wariness remained, yet after some tinkering and asking around she'd found out two things; the contest ad was a complete fake, and the ticket was very much genuine. A quick call with Petalburg's Botanical Gardens helpdesk revealed the rest. There hadn't been a campaign to promote the Gardens, but they did have Palentine's offer for couples that required matching tickets, and those could be acquired beforehand. Maybe a friend trying to set her up rather than to spend another Palentine's Day alone on the couch with her pokémon? After all, there weren't many who knew her actual home address.
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- - - - - - 

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Galayne adjusted her dress, looked herself over a final time, and thanked the driver before getting out of the cab she'd taken from Lilycove. A long trip, but very much worth it. Hopefully. Clutching her bag and her ticket, the Kalosian slowly made her way towards the Botanical Garden's entrance, eyes flicking around whilst her Flabébé floated around at her side. She honestly had no idea who the other ticket-holder was, or how to even recognize them, much less what to actually expect.

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Should she just go up to the entrance and ask someone? Or just scurry on to the side and look around for other lonely bystanders? Had this, in hindsight, been a rather naive decision?

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The answer to all those questions; probably.

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The answer she had taken to heart?

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Fuck it.

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She'd just go and find out.



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+ Yumi Hasegawa || outfit

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"Okay, just wow,"

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The Kalosian heir gawked at the giant Dyna Tree tower high above Evergrande's skyline. The sweet aroma of ripe fruits hung in the air, and by the looks of it many had noticed this scent wafting around; man and mon alike had been gathering on and off. Some just to watch and gaze upon the tree's magnificence, others to catch a glimpse of the supposed Calyrex that called it home. Others for sweeter spoils; the fruits that hung high and low among the tree's branches.

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It was the same reason she was here. Though not to eat them, but to protect them. A squad of volunteer fire fighters had been sent to help keep the more persistent pokémon at bay, each member taking up a specific angle it needed to protect.

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Galayne's area was right in front of it, her Flabébé Camille on her shoulder, while her two Squirtles stood each on one side, scanning the area for rowdy pokémon. For now there weren't too many around, most of which were behaving themselves, yet for some reason it felt like the calmth before the storm.


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+ Eris Halla || Protect the Dyna Tree

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"And you said they were where exactly?"
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The diver points at a formation of rocks sticking out of the water at the horizon, barely visible as tiding waves make a show of their power, smashing against the rocks.
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"Somewhere around that point over there, near the rocks. There's an outlet that's partially flooded, but I'm afraid that once the tide shifts they'll get in real trouble. Especially now they can't get out anymore."
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The diver looks troubled, then sighs. "I'd do it myself, but the tide's too strong, I can't get near them without getting myself smashed against those surrounding rocks."
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"Don't worry, sir, we'll get them out of this predicament in no-time flat." she gives the diver her brightest, reassuring smile, then turns to her chinese volunteer. Whether they had wanted to or not, they hadn't had a choice once the diver had ran up to them. Galayne had just grabbed their arm and dragged them to the waterfront with her, surprisingly forcefully for one her size.
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"Right?"

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+ @open || Luvdisc Dive

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"It's, uuuh... not so much visiting as it is hiding away?" she'd mutter softly, purposely avoiding eyecontact. "'Officially' I'm still studying in Galar, except I never truly left for Galar when papa allowed me to return... I may have ditched the security detail with some help and traveled to Hoenn instead. Hence the hair and such," As way of showing she dangled a lock of silver hair in front of her face; a stark contrast to her normally dark hair.

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As she dropped the strand of hair one of Thomas' Audino had rushed over, promptly greeting her in a way that made her smile. The big blue eyes staring at her earned the Audino a ruffle on its head, followed by her squishing its face in a hug when Thomas introduced it as Pulse. "Oh my god, why are you so adorable!!!"

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Happy for the sudden distraction from the why, Galayne pondered his recommendation. "Well, I'm guessing we'll have to go check it out, don't you think so, Camille?" she released Pulse from her bearhug and flicked her eyes up to the Flabébé, who'd ceased her waving at the Zorua to nod violently at her trainer's offer. With her partner's approval given, she looked back at her childhood friend. "I know you might've played it already, but care to tag along?"




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+ Thomas Benoit || Firework Flings

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

A little ball of fur, fast and nimble, dodging the cumbersome bull with surprising swiftness. Galayne had noticed the Houndour approaching too late, still busy trying to wrestle the blanket when it bumps into her. Had it not been for the tree behind her she would've surely toppled over, and stares in bewilderment at the pokémon partially hidden beneath the blanket she partially dropped to keep her balance. Its snout peeks from underneath it; familiar beyond reason.

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She knows the type hidden beneath it, now scuffling to freedom, and feels a lump forming in her throat. A lump hard to swallow, beads of sweat pearling on her back. In a moment that feels like an eternity to her she stares at the Houndour staring back at her. Its familiarity a torture. She loved it once; its species and a specific specimen she once called her own. She still does. But her mind and body only remember the fear when they huffed fire, and decided that fear was more important than the fond memories.

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Closing her eyes, Galayne grips the blanket more tightly to will away the slight shaking of her hands and forces a smile. A smile that surprisingly meets her eyes as she kneels to pet the little canine. "Hey little guy," The shiver never fully leaves her hands, but with the winter weather she can just blame the cold instead.

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When she hears a voice -presumably its trainer- Galayne raises her head, only to see a face she had not expected, and a Lurantis by the purple-haired woman's side. This time her smile seems more genuine. "Oh, not to worry! Bravo's just the same in all honesty, and I can't quite blame them for being so giddy in these open fields." The Kalosian chuckles, rising to her feet. "Wouldn't you say so, Your Excellency?"

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+ Elise Calcifet || Bond Bridge

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Galayne's final sip was promptly interrupted by a fluffed silhouette waddling up to her and the Squirtle twins, looking at the pokémon before questioningly staring at the beverage in the Kalosian's hand. Although the sun was making it hard to properly discern the color, she could somewhere recall having seen it before... a something-something-creamie? It sure did look the part.

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But something-something-creamie's attention was solely on the cocktail's scent. Literally, as the pokémon sniffed the air, got closer, only to violently inhale something she wasn't sure of. Her squirtles barred the sniffing mon from getting any closer, Aloïs blasting a rather violent Hydro Pump straight into its face, even starling its trainer with it in the process.

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The Alcremie looked rather shaken by the ordeal, shaking its head. Galayne acted faster than she could properly think about it, chucking a pokéball at the dazed pokémon. If it got captured she'd apologise to it later, away from Hydro Pumping squirtle eyes.

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Capturing Alcremie

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+ SW water/fairy

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Route 121 was the closest thing to Bravo's old habitat that she could think of here in Hoenn; endless sprawled-out fields along the shoreline. Winds picking up every now and then, tussling hair and tails as she watched how the Paldean Tauros ran to and fro with rapidly increasing speed. Although it was not home to the toro brava, it was the closest thing they would find to it. 

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Galayne sauntered several hundred meters behind alongside a path that had deviated from the main road; thought the lack of trees still allowed her to keep track of said road even this far away. A loud moo echoing across the fields makes the Kalosian smile. The sight reminds her of how esctatic her mother's Furfrous ran across the manor grounds back in Anistar City. Except her 'canine companion' was thrice their size and a whole lot heavier. Only Bravo's enthusiasm seemed equal her enthusiasm for reaching the top of the hill.



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A few trees up said hill would function as her chosen picnic spot; shadow to shield her and her party once the midday sun sat at its heighest, and the perfect vantage point to keep an eye out for her favorite brass of water-type pokémon once she'd let them out. Putting the basket down she carefully started unpacking a large -rather clumsy- blanket featuring Anistar's sundail and an intricately embroided coat of arms within it; a little gift from home.


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+ Elise Calcifet || Bond Bridge

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