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Mission: Protect the Peach

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The array of emotions displayed on the man's face is a hilarious one to watch. Erin doesn't consider herself a particularly sadistic person, but she does have to admit there are occasions when laughing at someone else's expense can be quite delightful. Today, she chooses to indulge herself.

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Erin's laughter is contained, despite everything. A hand covers her mouth while the other rests close to her chest. "A little ghost was playing tricks on you, I assume?"

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Briefly, she wonders what would happen if she acted the part of a ghost, too, herself. Her eyes glint at the mischievous idea, though ultimately she'd let it go. Pushing him farther might have a permanent effect on him, after all.

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The last emotion she sees on his face is disappointment, and the one before that was fear. Erin isn't that mean.

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"Sorry I'm not the person you thought you were talking to. You don't have to look so disappointed." She has a smile on her face that shows that she's just teasing, that she wouldn't take it to heart. "I'm guessing it was someone very dear to you?"

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She doesn't have much information to go off of, but she supposes a hurricane of feelings as complex as what she'd just witnessed would not be reserved for a mere acquaintance. Hard to say for sure, though; she'd never felt so strongly about anyone.

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Mission: Protect the Peach

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It would have made more sense to pay a visit to the shrines in Johto, if anything. Her parents must have realized that. When Erin gave them a ring to notify them of her short trip, however, they showed no signs of protest.

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Perhaps it was because she was using her own hard-earned funds for this escapade. Perhaps her parents had learned to just let her live by her own decisions when she left their home almost three years ago now, as soon as she was of age.

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Regardless of the reason, Erin is in Hoenn today. Her valedictorian speech would wait.

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She just wasn't expecting the trip to imply so many ghosts.

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Erin's gengar makes quick work of a couple wandering eyes, always watching but humanly impossible to locate, as she strides along the mountain. It's not until she notices a man talking to himself near a very old, very tall tree that she stops in her tracks.

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She walks up to him.

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"Who are you talking to?"

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Wild thread: Slateport Beach

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Odd, she didn't think he would be asking further about her motives. Give and take; it's the game they're playing at. If she gave in, common courtesy would dictate that he answer the question back in turn. Does Erin want to take that step? She doesn't have to think it for long. For all she knows, this would be the first and last time she saw the man.

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"That's no question to ask on a first date. You haven't even given me a name to call you by, sir." The answer comes as a reflex. Her own type of defense mechanism, ingrained in her since a long time ago. She smiles playfully and lets a moment pass before she answers for real.

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How could she express everything she is looking for in only a few words? "We could say I'm looking for proof. I want to show the world that this corrupt political system everyone's been so quick to embrace is no better than pure anarchy."

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She eyes him carefully, waiting for a reaction. This is the most she'd told anyone about the motivations driving her and she's honestly unsure of how he'd react. Blame it on the sun; on the heat. Maybe even on the fact she's finally here, in Hoenn. She ties a ribbon around her words and takes the leap.

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"I do hope you're not with the goody two-shoes. Wouldn't want to kill such pleasant company."

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Even through the threat, she doesn't move. The man's metang may look physically persuasive, but it's no metagross. If it came down to it, she trusts her gengar to deal with it. Still, she'd have to keep an eye out for the rest of his team.

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Wild thread: Meteor Falls

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"Good luck getting out of here on your own if you let me fall."

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The way up the waterfall is quite a rollercoaster, both in its movements and in the way it'd make Erin feel. She's no stranger to the water, in itself—it's more an issue of control. When she's swimming, she's in full control of where she goes and how. Surfing atop another living being she had no previous knowledge of? Well, that could lead to a huge number of outcomes, and not all of them looked pretty.

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Climbing up the waterfall, she doesn't feel in her comfort zone, but she finds comfort in knowing that, if she were to fall, she'd be taking him down with her.

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Speaking of falling over. When the mantine starts moving in an erratic, zigzagging pattern, it catches Erin by surprise. She grabs onto what she can in a moment of terror that would be clear in her face, but this fear quickly turns into annoyance. "Free target practice, I suppose."

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Erin's porygon2 springs back to life. It immediately charges up a

tri attack

that, due to the mantine's movement, only hits a part of the kingdra's tail. Again. They barely dodge one of the water pokémon's own beams of light as well.

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Through (metaphorical) blood and sweat, the mantine manages to take them to the safety of Meteor Falls' second level. Erin would remember to treat it kindly in the future. Or at least she would try to.

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She recalls the mantine before her feet have even touched firm ground, but again that's no problem considering her porygon2's attentions. This use of

telekinesis

is one of her favorites. It's far from being the only one, though. The porygon2's concentration also makes the wild kingdra rise in the air.

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Target practice is over. It's time to get serious.

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The porygon2 aims for the fin on the kingdra's back, the one thing that would keep it afloat outside of Siri's

telekinesis

. It points and recharges until the fin finds itself frozen. A

zap cannon

follows, to test the pokémon's resistance to it. Erin finds its reaction to be unsatisfactory. She conveys this with a wave of her hand.

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Another

tri attack

it is. The porygon2 aims at the mouth, from which it fired its attacks, and then at its tail, from where it switched directions. Slowly but surely the kingdra would find itself immobilized, and Erin takes this chance to toss a pokéball at it.

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She turns.

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Looks like Kenneth wouldn't be depending on her to get out of this place anymore. She's not sure if what she feels is disappointment at losing a leverage over him.

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"Hard not to notice, considering how much space it takes up." She's not impressed or excited about the evolution, not the way he is, but she at least finds it in herself to offer a curt "Congratulations. It was about time."

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Mission: Pesky Pescetarian

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If Erin notices the tinge of annoyance in Bucky's tone, she doesn't make any sign of it. Although she has to admit she's disappointed at the false trail, she can't say she expected much from the gross... pink ball, to begin with. This just reaffirms her initial assessment of the pokémon.

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She turns on her heels in the direction of the stairs closest to where they stood.

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Along the way, the pair would be able to see something akin to a trail of footprints, but made of water drops. Under a carefree gaze they would look like nothing unless one of them slipped on them, but if Erin squints she can see the glint of lighting shining through them. "Interesting."

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Mars stops in his tracks right before reaching the staircase. That's where the trail ends. Which direction to go now?

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"They looked more like water droplets than footprints to me. The culprit must have dove for the magikarp with long hands and carried them in their arms. There is a certain unevenness to them I can't really explain, though. It's almost like it had to stop every few steps to catch its breath."

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Erin is no expert on biology, but that last part doesn't sound quite right unless the pokémon in question was hurt or something. From catching magikarp? She frowns. Does not sound right after all.

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"Let's check upstairs. There's a garden on the last floor that looks like it would be perfect for hiding."

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Mission: Daycare Playdate

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Here's the thing: even though Belle had done all of this to bring a smile to the quilava's face, it is she who ends up laughing heartily post-dance. Belle's eyes close into a pair of mirthful arcs as the next words come out her small lips.

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"You don't have to look so disappointed, Pyrrhus."

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Belle stops to ponder. She'd love to continue dancing, honestly, but all that physical exertion has left her thirsty and exhausted.

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She supposes her current company has a bit to do with it, as well. Before, she'd been dancing to forget herself. This time, it was not only for herself; it was for something bigger than herself. Belle doesn't feel the need to keep dancing because her dark thoughts have receded, if only momentarily.

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She'd rather play with Pyrrhus some more than go back to the unforgiving solitude of her own memory.

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"I'd love to keep dancing with you, but I'm afraid I've grown quite thirsty. Would you mind accompanying me to the water dispenser, perhaps?" Now that she thought about it, did quilavas drink water, to begin with? Belle is not too sure. "Unless you'd prefer other refreshments, of course."

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The kirlia twirls in the direction of the aforementioned water dispenser, before easing into a slower ballet walk.

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"Besides, a pokémon with a name as imposing as yours would make for an amazing escort, I'm sure."

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Wild thread: Slateport Beach

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He seems to think she's only here for a trip and Erin doesn't bother correcting him. Given the circumstances of their meeting, she supposes it's a fair assessment. In reality, it's not entirely false and it would serve as a good cover, when it came down to it. When she left this city for new places to explore, to plunder, to perhaps even convert.

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A warning. Out of concern or any other reason beyond what was immediately obvious, she can't tell. The warning may not be totally unwelcome, but it sure would go unheeded.

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"I have things I want to do here first." Erin turns back to the man and is surprised to catch him looking at her. Talking to a back felt easier. Still, she doesn't falter. "I'm sure you do too." She does not know him or who he is, but there is one thing she's certain of: he's looking for something here in Hoenn as much as she is.

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It is human nature to seek—people, things, ideals. Castelia has everything she needs, but it's not enough. It doesn't have what she wants.

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Erin does plan to go home, eventually. When the time is right. First Kanto, now Hoenn. How long would it take to get to Unova? There are no plans that she knows of for future invasions past Hoenn—if anything, the most strategic decision would be to secure Johto—but first she wants to prove to herself that change is possible. Not simply chaos, but change after the storm they'd be brewing.

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Hoenn would be her personal experiment as much as Kanto had been Rocket's, though at the moment it seems Hoenn wants to play with them.

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The clefable seems to almost float, taking big steps across the beach. That gives it such a carefree look that it's almost funny. "Cute." What catches her attention the most though is the water pokémon swimming in their direction, closing in at an incredibly high speed.

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She can't see what it is as much as the trail of bubbles and foam it leaves in its wake. It doesn't matter what it is; the sight of a ruined wave bothers her, as does the thought of a ruined outing to the beach. A nod in her gengar's direction has him shooting a

shadow ball

and

dark pulse

in quick succession at the approaching figure.

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Whatever it was, the beams would change the wild pokémon's course. "Don't want that one splashing water on us, do we?"

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Wild thread: Lower District

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The sound of metal alerts them of another wild encounter.

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Heads turn but find nothing strikingly out of the ordinary. Blue irises darken and eyelids squint. Erin is not hearing things; it's whatever wild pokémon they'd run into that refuses to come out. How vexing.

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"We'll just have to force it out, Siri."

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The Porygon2 seems to agree. Still levitating, it goes still and fires off a

Signal Beam

that would alert them of the enemy's position once it hit something. Or just go unanswered. Things could really go either way, and for that reason Siri is ready to use the move as many times as necessary.

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The odds may never reach perfection, but they would get close enough to be satisfying.

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On the

Signal Beam

's second use, something moves. The

Metal Sound

returns, though this time it's due to the honedge sliding off the rubble under which it managed to get caught.

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Huh. "Doesn't seem to be looking for a fight." At least not until Erin leans down and reaches for its hilt. "What the fuck."

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The blue cloth slowly wraps itself around her arm. It squeezes. "Get it off me!" Erin groans in pain. Her Porygon2 launches a

Tri Attack

that, in itself, would deal no damage to the ghost—but it would burn, paralyze, or freeze it at a 6.67% chance each.

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Most importantly, it would distract it. The honedge lets go of Erin's arm and charges forward with a

Slash

.

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The Porygon2 is lucky to be just out of its reach. A beam of light begins to charge in front of its duckling-like beak, and out comes a

Zap Cannon

that would then render the honedge unconscious.

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Erin looks down at it derisively and tosses a pokéball. It shouldn't have tried to attack her when it was already so weak.

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Wild thread: Meteor Falls

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"Us sounds pretty crowded," she answers, humming to herself. The idea of sharing doesn't appeal all that much to the young woman, but she supposes there would be enough room atop her newly caught pokémon for the two. After teasing him a little. "What will I be getting out of it?"

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She lets the mantine and a second of her pokémon out.

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A kirlia materializes on the rocky ground with a jump and offers the man in front of her a curtsey, in a way that would bother her trainer if she wasn't already used to the overly polite manners. Erin nods at the mantine lying on the ground next to her.

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The kirlia's hand glows pink as she raises it to the mantine's body and releases a

Heal Pulse

. It expands, enveloping the electrocuted pokémon wholly before fading down.

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Should Kenneth want it, the kirlia would offer her healing services to his pokémon as well.

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"Get on."

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She waits for him to go first. Of course she wouldn't be the first to hop on. It's good that Kenneth had experience surfing, because Erin sure as hell doesn't. She'd always preferred the safety of manmade boats and yachts. Suddenly the chic black dress she'd picked for the outing feels inappropriate.

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She hesitates. On one hand, Erin wants nothing more than to leave this instant. On the other, the man is giving her enough reason to want to answer him, if only to crush his hopes. It's been two times that he's mentioned her hair, and it would be twice now that she falls for it.

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"Why, so you can steal the spotlight? Or are you hoping to see me again?"

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Her tone would have been more playful if she hadn't caught herself and eased it into something between cheekiness and cold judgement. Flirting with someone who could link her public life to Rocket is the last thing she needs to do.

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"She only offers her services on appointment and is very picky when it comes to her clientele. Doubt she'd give you a second look without a referral."

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The quip enveloping her answer satisfies her. It's not her best work, but it's certain to offend the proud.

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Mission: Daycare Playdate

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Laughter fills the small bubble of space she has the power to distort. "I'll teach you," she says confidently, as if it were impossible to mess up. She tugs on his paw gently. "I hope you like trips."

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Belle leads her partner in a slow waltz that reminds her of fragrant flowers blooming under the moonlight, and a chorus of birds and fairies singing of freedom. It is exactly this image that she chooses to show him.

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In a way, it really is impossible for even a pokémon with two left hind legs to step on her own, thin and swift as they are. The pair turns and turns and Belle lets the vision take them into the air.

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Minutes pass, during which she watches the quilava's reactions intently. The show is all for him, after all.

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When they're finally back on the earth —even though really they never left— the kirlia smiles again. "My name is Belle. May I ask for yours?"

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The cadence of her projected music slows down, but doesn't stop.

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Wild thread: Lower District

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Atop a pile of debris sits a luxio. He seems to be watching them, head carefully placed on top of its two front paws. Studying its visitors. The electric lion's ears are perked up, clearly alert and ready to attack. Erin supposes it's taken this small, unnatural hill as its tiny kingdom.

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The party stops in their tracks. The studying of the other's actions is mutual.

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Erin isn't looking for a fight, not an unnecessary one at least. Her next movement is slow, one calculated step around the luxio's realm. Another. She's well past the pokémon when he lowers his guard again and returns to a light slumber.

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"Strays," she mutters under her breath, shaking her head.

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After the invasion, many lives were lost. The League no doubt kept a tally, but the truth is much more lives are lost than the ones in the official records. Take the luxio, for example. Pitiful creature. Probably waiting for his trainer to return from the dead.

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"Let's have a minute to appreciate the fact you won't suffer the same fate." After all, Erin has plans for the Porygon2 in the event of her death. She has plans for all of her pokémon for when she's gone.

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Wild thread: Lower District

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What a mess. Slateport looks exactly like the ruins of a city as depicted in a post-apocalyptic book, movie, videogame. Take your pick. It should be no surprise—the city did have its own version of an apocalypse take place only months ago. Still, the photographs and video footage didn't prepare her for the palpable reality of it.

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Erin walks through and around rubber. Which it is depends mostly on what she can avoid. Suddenly, she's grateful she picked a pair of sturdy combat boots to wear, rather than a pair of pumps.

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"Where to now, Siri?"

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She relies on the Porygon2's GPS as much as a driver in another world would Waze. Siri points east and Erin follows.