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And now, Laguna had only grown more confused. She smiled immediately at the Mr. Mime becoming hers, moving to affectionately pat the guy on the head before returning her attention to the young girl across the room.

Helped Ash construct the DNA machine? With siblings? Who referred to the other players as siblings? That's... something an NPC would do, right? She was definitely going to have to ask questions about this online at some point.

"Perhaps indeed! You enjoy your little bumbling bundle of joy when he's made, huh? Try not to flood Mom's house, I don't think she'd like that."

She'd recall the Mr. Mime, and promptly descend the stairs with a little pep in her step. Mr. Rime would be hers eventually, with just a little bit more effort. She might have to wait longer to get her own Kyogre, but hey, she was stubborn, not impatient.

"Bye Mom!" She called out to her as she quickly ran out the front door, excitedly sliding away once more.

"Don't be afraid to come back for dinner, sometime young lady!" Mom shouted out, only to chuckle quietly and move back to her stove. "Ahh, Laguna, never sitting still. So much like her father."

Laguna's eyes widened a bit as she noticed the young teen in the bedroom, and it sure as hell looks like she just moved properly in. She wasn't here when she first came to get her shoes, was she? Then again, she had never actually gone into the bedroom before. If this was an NPC sister who lived at Mom's house, Hydance certainly made it interesting.

After all, she had never heard of an NPC doing a trade before, but who knows? Maybe it was part of a new update pushed out? Or maybe they were just a real person? In the end, did it even matter in this world? She certainly spent a huge amount of her time trying to help out Ash, even though she was an NPC.

"Mr. Mime!"

She laughed at the Pokemon, a soft grin on her face. She always had a bit of a soft spot for the Pokemon, but she admittedly had a much bigger interest in its Galarian form and its evolution.

"Hi! Yeah, I'm here about the mime. You put the paper up, right? Are you looking for anything in particular in return?" She'd walk further into the room, politely leaving the door open. Sure, it was "her" bedroom too, but it really didn't feel like it.

"I don't have a whole lot to trade, but I might have something that interests you!"

Laguna had never felt so... something.

Stressed wasn't the word for it, but there was certainly a tension within her soul that refused to exactly leave. After the raid where they rescued the settlement, there was still so much work to be done. Papers to write, things to study, corruption to avoid. She could imagine things were only just really getting started.

And yet, the tension within her soul refused to settle. Sacrifices to these Legendary Pokemon, was it really the only way to make things work? As Moltres had said, it was not the life that mattered, all they cared about was conflict.

Perhaps there would be another way to entreat these legendary pokemon in the future, but for now, the options seemed pretty slim. Maybe other players wouldn't see a reason to even search for other options, but they also weren't her.

Several different reports were tucked neatly into a manilla folder as she simply glided down the hallway. In truth, she had absolutely no need to really walk anywhere anymore. Not when she could glide down the hallway as if she was on the ice. Granted, it had the side-effect of making her look like one of those jerks who rode heelies in the hallways at school, but she was far too concerned with reading her latest report. Holding it out in her hands, she was just casually re-reading it as she slid.

Sliding straight into someone.

With the current lack of friction, Laguna tumbled to the ground, papers suddenly flying everywhere as she fell with a short yelp. Only, it wasn't only just her papers, it was theirs as well. She slowly sat up from the ground, rubbing at the back of her head as she looked up at whoever she had just run straight into, only to form a soft smirk on her face.

"orioncayge , huh?" She'd calmly pick up a page that settled where she fell on the ground, glancing at it before back up at him. "Can't beat me to it, so you result to sabotage, hmm?" She's clearly teasing, even as she stands to her feet and holds out one of many pages for him.

She wasn't too surprised when someone else walked into the hidden bathhouse of the saloon, but she was surprised to see who it was. A little girl with a rather adorable Totodile. Laguna was admittedly a bit stunned for a moment before she once again reminded herself that this probably wasn't an actual kid. It could be a grandma who just wanted to look like her grandkid, or literally anything. The internet was a strange place.

As they approached her tub, she was quick to smile and nod her head. "Yeah, sure! Don't mind me, I'm just trying to hatch this baby."

She'd hold the egg close to her chest, a hand calmly brushing against its shell. She had felt it shake slightly earlier, it was only a matter of time, she was sure of it.

"You and Toto are more than welcome, the tub is more than big enough for the two of us, after all." She'd scoot over slowly, not that she really needed to. It was just polite to not stretch out and take up the entire thing, even if they were sized like a child and probably didn't need that much space anyways.

"I'm Laguna," She'd introduce herself, grinning ear to ear as the water continued to soothe her virtual body. "First time? I've been coming here for a few days, it's really nice."

Her partner came down from the stars up above and Laguna's grin was wild. A physically fit partner who could keep up with her? What could be better than that? They had just barely enough time to talk and discuss their own dance before everything set off and she was feeling incredible.

And yet, as she listened to everyone else's songs, watching their dances and beautiful musical numbers, she couldn't help but grow nervous on her feet. There was a growing anxiety, even if she had been confident in her abilities. This was a contest, and she had to put on a brave face.

"... You're nervous." Gallade Gadot suddenly spoke, for a moment startling Laguna. She had forgotten just how aware the NPCs were, as if able to read her mind at times.
Then again, the Worldscreen was quite literally reading her mind, anyways.

"Heh, yeah. Just a bit." Laguna rubbed the back of her neck, sighing softly. "I just- No, we will be great."

The human-like Pokemon stood tall, her body with oddly familiar facial features but undeniably still partially Gallade with much of her body taken from the Pokemon, such as the very prominent arm blades. At the response, they simply nodded their head and placed a hand on their shoulder. "We already discussed the song and the performance, just do your best. Your only resposibility is to not pay attention to all the noise around you, just pay attention to the lyrics, to the rhythm, and let your heart and soul tell a story."

Was that some quote from actual Gal Gadot? Perhaps an oddly edited one to apply to the situation at hand, but it did make her feel leagues better. "Let's get it." Laguna spoke, a wild grin as they clasped hands. "Let's show everyone what we can do."

SPOILER: Click to show

{Original Song}

The song begins with a strong beat, lights dimming from beneath the ice as Laguna stands still in the darkness.

"The world is a constant and endless adventure,
No time to stay still and just snore.
It's time that we share that we are a contender,
So go on and clear the dance floor."

The music suddenly swells up into a heavy rock beat, lights suddenly flashing on as a wicked smile spreads across Laguna's face. She kicked her feet and suddenly began to spin with snowflake particles flying around her. Her Trailblazer Kicks suddenly lit up the ice, trailing a line of burning flames as her feet glided elegantly across the frozen lake.

(0:26) "My name is Laguna, I'm not just some girl,
I know how to get down in the groove."

Her partner suddenly slides in from behind, standing tall, arms crossed for a dramatic pose. A borrowed Rainbow Flame Cloak illuminating their burning presence dramatically before the lights even shine upon them, making a fantastic silhouette shine out.

(0:32) "I'm Gallade Gadot and we'll give it a whirl,
You bet that we know how to move."

The two suddenly embrace each other's arms, Laguna twirling around them as the music suddenly slows from it's upbeat rock tone, shifting into a softer tone. It's noticeably a sudden shift of pace for emphasis on their lyrics as both sing at the same time, slowly gliding across the ice with Laguna in Gallade Gadot's arms.

(0:38) "And we're gonna win, not gonna lie,
It will be hard, saying goodbye.
We'll work as a team, through thick and thin,
We'll always push on, dancing with a grin."

The music swells again into that familiar rock beat, and Laguna is suddenly tossed into the air. The sudden switch between soft and hard rock never more obvious. Laguna twirls above, arms stretched above like a professional figure skater, pleated skirt floating in the air.

(1:00) "Til we're bloody and bruised.
Til we've broken our bones. "

She lands gracefully, flames kicking up from her heels even as she glides backwards, dramatically twirling around to sing her next verse.

(1:05) "Til we won't be refused.
Til we're up on our thrones."

During the instrumental break, Gallade Gadot gets down in a surprisingly elegant break dance. The flaming cape twirling as they move, even going so far to spin atop the spike on the top of their head.

Laguna once again slides across the ice, flames and snow trailing her wake as she circles all around the scene, giving her partner the show for the moment. Just before the vocals kicked back in, Gallade Gadot slowed down, resting on their elbows with their feet in the air. Laguna came leaping in, jumping up into the air and landing onto their partner's feet

The force carried them forwards, sliding on the blades on the Gallade arms as they glided across the ice like roller-skates. Ever the fit individual, they suddenly lifted themselves straight up, projecting Laguna high up into the air on her feet as her vocals began.

(1:22) "No time to be boring and blandly conforming,
No time to sit down and just rest.
No time to be empty with average performing,
No time to show that you're all stressed."

Gallade Gadot slid forwards, sliding Laguna back onto the ground as the two once again flipped into yet another slow twirl. Shining lights spinning about in grand circles, highlighting the two dancers in a loose embrace. They began to sing the chorus once more, happily dancing and twirling across the ice.

(1:33) "And we're gonna win, not gonna lie,
It will be hard, saying goodbye.
We'll work as a team, through thick and thin,
We'll always push on, dancing with a grin.
Til we're bloody and bruised.
Til we've broken our bones,
Til we won't be refused,
Til we're up on our thrones."

Laguna was suddenly leaned back in Gallade Gadot's arms, and a sudden rather genuine blush spread across her cheeks as she smiled over at the judges. Gadot began to sing, this time directly towards Laguna. A soft, emotional tone filled the air.

(2:06) "Are you okay?
You've been singing all your fears out to the crowd.
No need to say them out loud.
Just, take it slow.
We'll sing on even though-"

The two twirled once again, lights shining bright as they both sang in tandem once more. Laguna suddenly provided a little heart shaped Wand of the Winds from her wrist, holding it outstretched as a powerful Tailwind whipped up, swirling snow up into the air.

(2:22) "We'll be bloody and bruised,
We'll be breaking our bones,
We'll be laughing amused,
We'll be up on our thrones."

As the song ramped up to a dramatic end, the two posed equally as dramatically, one in front of the other. The lights shut off instantly, leaving them standing with burning flames around their feet in a near perfect circle from their last twirl. The burning cloak, billowing in the breeze of her own making illuminating their form.

And that was all she wrote, the pair eventually making their way off the ice.

"Have I brought enough A Game for you, Babdanna Boy?" She'd say with a teasing wink to orioncayge , enjoying the lighthearted rivalry, even as her heart threatened to beat out of her chest.

That was exhilarating, and with any luck, there were only more exciting rounds to come.

Happy New Year! To new and fun stories!

Laguna had to admit, she had never felt so relaxed in this game before until now. She was used to the freezing waters, although as a Freezer the temperature really didn't bother her. And yet, this hottub felt genuinely incredible and Laguna found it a great place to hatch eggs. Her newest addition to the term, another Bergmite egg floated in her hands, ever so gently held.

She was lucky to find this place really, The Cat's Meow. The front half of the building was pretty standard affair, a local saloon that had cat Pokmon lounge about, almost like some strange mockery of a modern day cat-cafe. And yet, if you knew the right passcode, you'd be let into the backrooms. Today's passwcode was "Lukewarm Drink," but it seemed to change every day or so, but that was because it seemed the bathhouse part was particularly illegal.

After all, Litten and it's evolved forms were the reason the baths were kept so warm to begin with. They lounged back here, keeping the flames lit and the waters nice and warm. A little illegal sanctuary, but how could those cute Litten and Torracats be such baddies? It seemed so silly to her.

"Ahh, this is nice." Laguna mumbled to herself, gently holding the egg in her hands as she cradled it close to herself as she sat inside the giant wooden tub. "You can hatch when you are good and ready. It's just you and me."

That, and whoever else decided to walk into the bathhouse, she supposed.