The SS Lugia had been navigating the open seas for 32 hours. The previous night's opening ceremony, an awe-inspiring holographic showcase made its mark in history as the most viewed spectacle of all time. Featuring the majestic Ho-oh soaring overhead, scattering its radiant feathers like digital embers while Lugia’s melodic cry harmonized with the gentle lapping of waves against the ship’s hull. Those who had seen it in person marveled at the cutting edge technology.

The second day was coming to an end. The first round of the Pokemon World Contest had concluded and attendees were making their way to the ship’s amenities. The atmosphere buzzed inside The Lucky Catch at its peak capacity. A Machamp, impeccably dressed and sporting a distinguished mustache, skillfully balanced numerous plates on his four arms as he elegantly served patrons at their tables. His human colleagues scurried around, flustered by how busy they were. Affluent diners indulged in culinary treasures from the ocean's depths. The Lucky Catch held a reputation as a globally renowned seafood haven. Seated at tables crafted from Ilex Forest oak imported from Johto and surrounded by pillars sourced from Kalos' Reflective Cave, The Lucky Catch maintained its exquisite allure even aboard the SS Lugia.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Sugar gritted her teeth, radiating heat like a simmering pot on the brink of boiling over. The head chef, sensing her impending eruption, searched for a pan lid to use as a shield. In a culinary frenzy, Sugar flipped fish, stirred soup, and grated garnishes as if she herself were a furious four-armed Machamp. Her coworkers cautiously distanced themselves, observing her with trepidation. Suddenly, the entire ship resonated with the sound of strained metal under immense pressure. Utensils clattered, and cooks were shook off balance. Sugar, falling backward, watched in horror as half-prepared meals tumbled to the floor. Regaining her composure, she said, "well that sure didn't sound right..."

On the restaurant floor, the mustached Machamp remained poised, not a single plate lost. The once lively chatter had now hushed and guests exchanged worried glances. Had the ship collided with something? What could cause a colossus like the SS Lugia to cry like that? A cracking noise reverberated through the walls, causing the guests to panic. Rising from their chairs, they sought to flee the restaurant. A shimmering pillar snapped, hurtling towards the floor. Machamp threw his plates in the air, leaping to catch the falling marble before it could harm anyone.

Sugar burst through the kitchen door and was met with chaos. Customers pushed and jostled each other in a frantic bid to escape. Worry flashed in Sugar's eyes as she witnessed Machamp struggling against the descending pillar, “Garscon!” she cried, “someone help him!”

Ace stood by the ship's railing, contemplating the tranquil expanse of the nighttime ocean. He was aware that the calm was only a fleeting moment, his role as security personnel aboard the SS Lugia suggested that not everything would unfold as planned. A mystery was certain to surface sooner or later.

Hiding in plain sight, Kecleon, with only its red zigzag visible, clung to a tall lamp near its trainer. The stillness of the night was abruptly disrupted as the ship began to violently vibrate. A chilling gust of wind swept across the deck, causing Kecleon to shiver and tumble onto its trainer's back. Icy diamond patterns materialised on the floor, slowly spreading across the hull. A looming thumping sound captured Ace's attention, prompting him to say, “time for work, Kecleon."

Selena Diana Artemis, the reigning queen of the fashion world, in her own opinion anyway, sat at her reserved table. Her elegant evening gown sparkled under the lights of the chandeliers, and the tiara sitting on top of her head shined like a beacon of opulence. She basked in the attention, relishing every gaze directed her way.

As she dined on the finest seafood money, she engaged in lively discussion with her entourage. Luna, her Clefable, sat next to her. It was a mostly one sided conversation. “I must say darlings, my performance was nothing short of spectacular!” She started stroking her Clefable’s head lovingly. “Between Luna’s graceful moves, and my stage presence, the audience couldn’t keep their eyes off of me. The other competitors didn’t stand a chance!”

Her entourage nodded in agreement. Whether they actually agreed with what she was saying was irrelevant. They were being paid to cater to her needs.

The Lucky Catch disaster immedietly began trending online. Selena's table, cordoned off by velvet ropes was seemingly a serene bubble untouched by the restaurant's wrckage of broken chairs and tumbling ceiling plaster.

---

99+ New Messages [+]

"She's so fabulous."

99+ New Messages [+]

You're all crazy for supporting her, look, she only cares about herself!

99+ New Messages [+]

I wanna be Selena Diana Artemis.

99+ New Messages [+]

If she slapped me in the face, I'd say thank you!

---

Garscon's mustache was trembling. Even a ridiculously powerful pokemon like The Lucky Catch's star waiter couldn't withstand the weight of an entire marble pillar by himself. He would surely be crushed if a kind stranger did not intervene.

---

The first day of the boat ride was spent almost entirely creating references. Jimmy's eyes would dart around, soaking in every detail of every spectacle, from battles to babes, from Pokémon to partygoers. Each would get immortalized in Jimmy's sketchbook, full of drawings of dresses, suits, pants, ties, even hats could be found with its pages of artistry. As soon as he got home, he would surely create his Magnum Opus, inspired by the whole world, no less! And as the night came, Jimmy's energy didn't let up, mingling amongst the various people on the boat, whether they be the lowliest servant or the most professional of trainers. Buying drinks, exchanging business cards, placing custom orders, the night was as full as could be for Jimmy.

The second day was his chance to really shine! Jimmy busted out his secret weapon for the trip: a custom, tailored suit made by him specifically for this event. A deep, navy blue jacket and pants, accompanied by a black vest and white undershirt, all held together with golden buttons, a silver handkerchief, polished leather dress shoes, and a scarlet red tie. The jacket and pants were adorned with expertly placed tiny white stars, to capture the essence of the endless night sky. And on the shoulders and sides of the jacket were depictions of the two legendary Pokémon, Ho-oh and Lugia. On the right shoulder was a golden image of the rainbow bird Pokémon, while the left depicted a silvery image of Lugia, the guardian of the sea.

And as the night set, Jimmy's suit glimmered in the twilight rays as he entered the Lucky Catch. Sure the food was good, and one could even say the decor was exquisite. But that's not why Jimmy was here. He was here for what was in the back of the restaurant, behind closed doors: The dance floor. What better way to stand out and attract new friends than to show your moves? Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, he enacted his master plan. Cocktails were bought, and passed around, as he began to attract his own little crowd. The place was absolutely abound with energy as Jimmy continued to work his magic, riling up the dancers, and taking pictures for social media.

At last he was ready for his final act, complete domination of the dance floor. He had a secret trick up his sleeve: he was a master at the art of breakdancing. Or at least, the time he had spent training, accompanied by the alcohol in his system told him he was. He began with several sweeping motions, followed by twists and turns of his legs, as he continued to twirl himself around. At last he ended with a glorious pose, one leg extended to the side, and the other bent inwards as Jimmy held himself up with his waining strength. Righting his position, Jimmy staggered a bit as the room began to spin, the alcohol and inertia hitting him. "Well, I hope everybody saw that because I will not be doing that again! Hahaha!"

Jimmy put his hands on his hips as he reveled with the rest of the dancers. Deciding enough was enough, however, Jimmy decided now would be a good time to end the night. If he stayed up too late, he might miss tomorrow's events. He couldn't afford to do that! He shuddered at the thought of so much missed inspiration and excitement. That and the creeping exhaustion. Stepping out the doors and back into the restaurant, Jimmy looked out at the various foods on display. Surely one meal couldn't hurt?

Unfortunately, Jimmy would not get his wish, as the ship would violently shudder, followed by the sounds of cracking, and screaming. People began rushing towards the exits, pushing past him, as a massive pillar began to tumble, being held up by a lone Machamp. As Jimmy began to run towards the exit with the rest of the patrons, a combination of inebriation, shoving, and fatigue from his previous endeavors, ended with him tackling the Machamp with his full weight, knocking them both down, the collapsed pillar falling behind them with a rumble. Jimmy climbed up to his feet, and thankfully, through either, luck, skill, or divine intervention, his suit had remained completely spotless.

He offered a hand to the Pokémon he had tackled. "Come on big guy, let's..." He stumbled once more. "...get out of here!"

---

The Pokemon World Contest really could not be compared to any prior contest Jun had participated in. Even one round in, he was feeling the high intensity wow that was usually reserved for quarter-finals onwards. He felt electrified still, even well after the first round had concluded. Maybe that was because of how close a call it had been, he'd been paired off against a skilled Coordinator. Matching his Slugma, Rummy, against their Ninetales seemed like a disaster at first, the latter seemed to outplay its rival fire type at every turn.

Effortless elegance combined with intense flames made it seem like the match was a no-brainer, up until Jun and Rummy turned it around at the last moment. Putting out a show-stopping finale where Rummy lit up the smog clouds she had sent into the air prior, using Flame Burst to detonate the shaped smog clouds into brilliant fireworks. Had Rummy put too much smog out, or let her flames run too hot, it would have probably crossed the line from impressive fireworks show to full-stop domestic terrorism. But if you weren't willing to risk being put on a watchlist, were you really giving it your all to win?

It was a well-earned win, and for the first time since he got his invitation, Jun felt like he really did belong here. Exploder Baracle was meant to be a criticism of contest culture, he hadn't expected the persona to grow so beloved, even if his fans were less mainstream and more cult following, but here he was. And he'd managed to prove on a stage as large as this, that unpopular Pokemon deserved better than the labels 'weird' and 'ugly.' Now he just had to keep that momentum going.

The post-match energy had carried him all the way to the Lucky Catch, where he had been celebrating with his Pokemon ever since. Well, actually just Norbert, who had not participated. Vivianne was insistent on getting a full eight hours of sleep, and Rummy was considered a fire hazard when near alcohol, or any time really, but especially when near alcohol. He had elected to celebrate with his other two Pokemon later in a more controlled environment. Which left him chilling with his Exeggutor, knocking back Aguav Berry juices - which were entirely non-alcoholic, but great on the throat. Something he needed, as Exploder Baracle yelled quite a lot during his performances. Every now and then someone would ask for a picture, or come by to congratulate him throughout the night, though not too many, most of Jun's fans weren't the type to take luxury cruises. By the time the adrenaline started to leave him, he figured he'd celebrated enough and it was time to call it a night and take off his face paint.

Which was of course when everything went awry.

The sudden jerk of the ship as its metal hull groaned coincided with Jun rising from his seat, which nearly sent him ass over teakettle. In the brief moment it took for him to steady himself, people had already begun a panicked evacuation of the restaurant. The pandemonium only escalated as one of the pillars- and wow! did Jun hope that was not a load-bearing pillar -began to topple over. Only halted by the quick action of a Machamp employed by the restaurant, who was not having a great time holding it in place.

Another party-goer that Jun felt as though he recognized came stumbling through, removing the Machamp and himself from harm's way, which was good. It was not the only danger, though, just the primary one. The secondary one was with all the pushing and jostling going on, some people were bound to get knocked over, and likely trampled. Jun had been in enough rowdy crowds to know how dangerous that was, so he draws from the power his face paint gave him, and bellows out a shout worthy of Exploder Baracle.

"HEYYYYY!! SHOW SOME CARE, CLEAR SOME ROOM FOR'EM TO STAND!" Jun's voice carries across the chaos with the volume of someone who has several times had to deal with a broken microphone and a crowd needing to hear him. It helped.. a little bit. But mostly Norbert's psychic abilities were doing the heavy lifting. Literally speaking, as the Exeggutor was levitating people up to their feet before releasing his telekinetic hold.

Hail shifted uncomfortably in his chair, resting his chin on the palm of his hand. A slender, forked tail brushed the side of his face and he sighed.

He raised a fair hand to caress his Espeon's chin delicately.

"What do you think, Sai? Am I being paranoid?"

"Espeon...."

"I guess you're right," Hail mutterd, letting his eyes flutter shut as his thoughts wandered.

The SS Lugia was just as amazing as he'd heard, if not more so. The cutting-edge technology, the familiar natural harmony of Pokemon; all of it was absolutely mesmerizing. It truly was a vessel worthy of being named after the legendary Lugia. Hail was fresh from spectating the first round of the Contest, and he had to admit that so far, it had been quite a spectacle to behold. After all, vacation or not, he was still a researcher at heart, and seeing all those Pokémon performing was always cause for admiration.

And yet, something still troubled him.

The atmosphere aboard the ship was stuffy, and noisy too. Hail didn't think he could ever get used to being around so many rich people and celebrities all at once. It didn't help, of course, that he was only passingly familiar with a few of the passengers, at best. Certainly not well enough to know how to start a conversation with any of them.

That had never stopped him before, but he was oddly somewhat anxious this time around. He couldn't bring himself to be at ease, no matter how hard he tried, and he did try. His table was half-filled with empty glasses and he was barely even buzzed, much less relaxed. There was something keeping him from enjoying himself to the fullest and he didn't know what it was.

All he knew was that he had an ominous feeling that he just couldn't shake. His instincts wouldn't allow him to.

However, as time passed by and nothing happened, Hail could almost start to relax. Almost.

.... Sigh. He was probably just being–

His musings were interrupted as the ship jerked violently.

The only reason he didn't fall to the ground was because he was leaning on a table.

Hail was almost relieved when he felt the ship shake; the metal vessel groaning with strain. He felt bad about that, considering the mess it no doubt made for the crew, but regret wouldn't do any good now. Action would, though.

"Ghast. Have a look, won't you?"

Hail spoke the command quietly, and a ghostly green dragon appeared for a brief moment before disappearing like a mirage.

The Dragapult made its way outside the room, unseen and unheard, where it soon came across a man and his Pokémon.

"Drag...."

Daniel had been thoroughly enjoying his cruise so far, the opening holographic show was impressively realistic and he has no idea how they managed to get a recording of Lugia's song. The first round had certainly delivered a spectacular showing made all the better by the fact he found himself drawn into a lively discussion with those seated around him between performances, turns out the man on his right was a retired coordinator who had some great insight. Plus some crazy guy blew field up, which is always fun when you're not on the recieving end.

He'd only booked a small table for one near one of the walls, none of his team really appreciated fancy seafood, it wasn't really something he'd eaten much himself actually, but he was trying EVERYTHING on this trip. He'd just finished a very tasty grilled fish dish with a name he didn't recognise when the chaos began.

He felt the ship move, his chair tumbling to the side, though couldn't actually see the pillar falling. He slipped his jacket on (if the ship's in trouble he might not be able to return for it after all, and it's got his ID in the pocket) and stood up, releasing Alakazam with a red flash in one smooth practiced movement.
He gets around the nearest pillar just in time to see a man in a very nice coat tacking that Machamp waiter away from a falling pillar, which is enough to make up his mind. He feels his oldest friend's telepathic touch checking on him and speaks "I'm fine, outdoor viewing deck, lets see what's causing this." and the two vanish in the light of a teleport, appearing within sight of Ace.

There was something magical about flying on a Pokemon's back, and in his humble opinion photos taken this way were better than drone taken ones, they just had that touch of happiness that a handheld camera granted.

Speaking of.

"How are the shots coming along Shutter?"

"Wobbuffet!"

A salute with his arm and a big smile was his answer but his sight never strayed from the camera, it never ceased to amaze him how a Pokemon who lived in darkness had developed such a passion for cinematography, he couldn't wait to see the photos and videos he was taking, the Lugia was already a breathtaking ship and Shutter had a talent for choosing the best angles. Suddenly both his Pokemon and himself cried out at the sound the ship made.

They hadn't gone too far so it was no surprise that the noise reached them but it was concerning nonetheless, his gaze fell on Shutter who gave him a nod and returned to his Pokeball.

"Razor! Bring us closer!" Razor didn't give any indication that he heard the order but the shift in direction was confirmation enough. As his Pokemon dived he felt thankful once more for the harness securing him and the goggles protecting his eyes, it was a lesson that was driven into his head when he and Razor were learning to fly together and it sure had stuck around.

As they descended at a moderate speed the first thing that came to view was the man on the ground and an Avalugg rushing towards him, another trainer with an Alakazam was nearby. The Avalugg didn't seem friendly and he didn't know enough about about physic Pokemon to guess if he could be teleported to safety. They could sweep down but it would be a tight fit, the trees had the potential to harm Razor if they didn't calculate the angle correctly, but on the other hand, the man could get seriously hurt. Eventually, he came to a decision.

"Ra-!"

However, someone else had already made the decision.

In the blink of an eye he found himself almost at eye level with the trees and the next he was soaring above them once more, making sure his harness was secure he leaned far enough that he could look at Razor's extended talons, or rather, at the man held among them.

"Yo! You okay!?" He realized the man probably couldn't hear him so he gestured a thumbs up and then climbed atop Razor's back again. "Bring us down boy"

It was an easy maneuver, just a barrel roll and they were close enough to the grotto to release the man.

"Hey dude, you okay?"

Daniel was examinging the frost upon the ground when his attention was drawn towards the pool by a mental prod from Alakazam, walking as quickly as he dared on the slippery ground he followed.
He got to the edge of the impressive artificial grotto just in time to see a man on a Skarmory save the other guy from an Avalugg.
Impreesive specimen though it is, Daniel doubts it could be the sole cause these events, still it's aggressive. Daniels thoughts race, Blaziken would make short work of it, but risks both melting the ice beneath himself and collateral damage. A quick hand motion has Magnezone out of its ball and levitating over the edge and Alakazam moves close to protect Daniel without any need for prompting.
He speaks a single clear command, hand pointing towards the Avalugg. "FC."
A blazing Flash Cannon smashes into the ice type from above.

---

The ship had stopped shaking, but that wasn't enough to put Hail at ease.

He fiddled with his keystone necklace for a moment, lost in thought. Much as he would have liked to believe that it was just a freak accident, he knew better than that. His instincts told him there was more to it. It was almost as if someone was trying to–

He was drawn from his thoughts when the Captain's voice echoed over the speakers.

"Attention passengers, this is your captain speaking. For your safety, please gather in the main stadium - again, for your safety, please gather in the main stadium."

Then an automated message started playing.

"Emergency broadcast, passengers are required to prepare for evacuation."

To top it all off, the holographic projectors started going all sorts of crazy, with various projections of Pokémon appearing throughout the room. It didn't seem like an intentional display. At least, not one intentionally done by anyone with good intentions. Heh. It didn't bother him much since he was used to worse.

".... Well, that's not ominous at all."

Unfortunately, the other passengers in the Lucky Catch weren't quite as composed as he was. If the captain's frankly disconcerting message didn't startle them badly enough, the virtual Ho-oh rising from the floor in front of them certainly did the job, which only served to complicate the situation even more.

"Alright, Sai. Why don't you give them a hand."

"Espeon!"

Sai's eyes glowed with her signature soft purple colour as she calmed the minds of the panicked passengers.

From the corner of his eye, Hail noticed an Exeggutor bringing a few fallen passengers to their feet.

It looked like someone else had a similar idea.

Selena thought she could have a peaceful dinner, but things went to Hell in a Handbasket very quickly. The ship was shaking, and the captain made an announcement to gather in the stadium, and to prepare for evacuation. As if that weren’t enough, the holographic projections started malfunctioning, causing everyone to start panicking. Even her entourage fled in fear.

Selena was more than a little irritated. She was looking foward to a luxury vacation on a cruise ship, and then everything fell apart. She and Luna stood up, and started briskly heading towards the stadium. “Everyone, please remain calm, and exit in a calm and orderly fashion. Women and children first!” She wasn’t sure if that was how things were done, but… she was a woman, and frankly, she should be able evacuate first. She was more important than some of these other people…

In her her haste to leave she bumped into a white haired boy with an Espeon. Was it her fault she bumped into him? Probably. But she wasn’t going to admit that. “Beg your pardon darling…” She said with a tone of condescension, and irritation. “But what do you think your doing standing around?! The captain told us to evacuate, and you’re just… in the way…”

---

With the passengers beginning to wind down, things were starting to look better. At the very least, they weren't trampling over each other anymore. That should help out the other trainer a bit. Now all he had to do was wait until Ghast returned from his little exploration.

Hail stood relaxed, when he was suddenly almost knocked off balance by a dark-haired girl that he somewhat recognised. Barely.

She was one of the performers in the Contest, though he was currently blanking on her name. He briefly considered asking her, but then she opened her mouth, and suddenly her name wasn't quite so relevant anymore.

She was one of those types. Full of more ego than sense.

"In the way? I was just standing here while my lovely companion stopped a potential crisis," Hail drawled, "Far more than you did I'm sure, darling."

"Esp!"

Hail rolled his eyes at Sai's admonishing tone and sighed.

"But, I suggest you make quick on your exit. I have a feeling that things are about to get a lot more interesting."

Lilting vocals led by a lively, pulsating beat, towed its listeners deeper into an ocean of dreamy dancing bliss. Standing before them was a siren-like being, her visage spinning and smiling prettily, twirling a baton with lights on both ends that formed blazing circles in the air when spun. A circle soon formed around her, encouraging the fullness of her routine to bloom. She bounded about, executing spins mid-air to loud applause, and pirouettes that got faster with every landing. Sensing the opportunity to unleash her natural gift, she inhaled deeply and-

Ping!

"Jiiii!!!"

Before her Diva could create a mass fainting event, Haze returned her to her Pokeball, knowing full well the Jigglypuff's intent from where she stood at the turntable station. An adoring "Awwww" arose and the crowd melded back into its formless body, beholden to the tempo and rhythms orchestrated by its silver-clad, masked maestro. Haze pivoted to drop Diva into her backpack, where Checkers sat, happily engorging himself on sweet shrimp cakes from the Lucky Catch. She pivoted back to the tables and grinned at Manu, who sat perched on her shoulder. The two bobbed their heads in unison for a few turns and then her fingers aligned the switches for her closing track to play. She lifted her arms slowly and held them raised on either side, looked to Manu with a nod, and performed a windmill movement that he used to springboard into flight.

The track moved from an undulating, bass-laden beat, to one that was notably up-tempo, demanding motion from even the shyest of wallflowers and those too drenched in merriment to know what was up or down. With a trilled coo, Manu soared upwards, silver ribbons fluttering from around his talons, until he reached the ceiling where he began flitting around paper lanterns hung around the ballroom. He dodged an array of laser beams shining star patterns on the roof, searching for him like spotlights, and neatly came to a hover at the center. The lights and music coalesced into a single riff-tailed star shining on him, raising the crowd's energy which he then drew into himself and unleashed in a call that vibrated across the ceiling, bursting the lanterns into a rainbow coloured rain of confetti.

Before the roaring crowd could notice, Haze had slipped into an elevator behind her set-up, her silver attire cloaked and feathered headpiece boxed away for the next appearance. A video recording of DJ Halo played on loop across screens and holo-platforms around the ballroom listing the usual thanks and social platform handles in between footage of the crowd taken during her set. Manu, again avoiding the wandering beams of light, flew towards her and disappeared in a red flash. Another night sealed, and now another long soak in a salty bath with a plate of fruit, yogurt and Akala honey. The thought of her private retreat made Haze sigh. Manu would bathe with her and then dive into his regular seed dish, Diva would ignore her and eat at the windowsill before rolling up in 600-count Cottonee sheets, and her darling Checkers would take a rusk and chew himself to sleep beneath the bed once she lay down.

There wasn't a slot for chaos in her routine, but when it struck, her concern for her Pokemon facilitated a swift, calm action plan. Her Pokemon, travel documents and dry food were gathered into a red, waterproof backpack, already fitted with trekking essentials like a flashlight and water purifier. A doomsday prepper she was not, but she had learned on her travels around Alola the value of being over-prepared where beauty belied the challenges of its remoteness. The SS Lugia was as remote a location as one could be and the danger of their situation began to sink in at every scene passed of crumbled facades, tumbled furniture and lights blooming ominously. Checkers rocked nervously in his Pokeball hung from Haze's neck, most likely in response to her own apprehension. She enclosed him in a firm grip and wrapped the other hand around her bag strap, breathing in deeply. This was more action than was promised when she accepted a contract to entertain a boat of glitterzens and Coordinators, and if this was in fact an evacuation, more proximity to the River of Stars than she could have imagined.

"Evacuation point", she thought worriedly. The Pokemon Contests were not her reason for being aboard the cruise so she saw little of the stadium they were held in. Extensive preparation and testing to meet the standards she set only allowed for glimpses into odd rounds, and they were all quite...enchanting. The "Coordinator" role was not a solid concept in Alola, although their relationship with Pokemon held many parallels with how tandem performances were done on the islands, and in the Hanamachi of Ecruteak City, but with less tradition bowing them down. Their personas shone in how they dressed, acted and choreographed their Pokemon's talents. It all came together in a method that appealed to her with acute clarity. But what good was that under the sea?

People at the end of the hallway began to turn in panic, and as the divide came closer Haze could see their source of distress in the lobby - teeth.

"What in the guardians' names...?" she whispered, walking around the retreating guests. No one from the show would look twice her way without the three half-ponytails in her hair, bird mask, chrome and feathers distinctive of her DJ Halo act. Here, she was an average guest just trying not to lose her patience with every jostle, dressed in light jeans, a white shirt, orange jacket and matching sneakers. The cap she wore over a pearlescent ponytail shielded most of the chandelier light as she stepped into the lobby. For whatever reason, she felt more awed than in danger before the beast.

Closing its maw, the red lines tracing its features were revealed, and a golden eye that seemed to follow her as she skirted around the edge of the room held an ancient look. Her chest pulsed with exhilaration as its body suddenly vaulted, emerging from the white marble - a sapphire titan covered in glowing runes of ruby, its belly filling the borders of her sight and tapering into a pronged tail - then quickly disappeared into the ceiling. Haze released the breath she was holding and carried on towards the assembly area whilst the ship was steady.

"If I make it through this, I might even call Grandma to share what I saw!" her mind hummed with excitement. Then she remembered why this couldn't be so and a glower covered her features as the stadium lights came into view.

---

Jimmy strained visibly as he helped the Machamp to his feet, the Pokémon much heavier than he had anticipated. He then heard a cry from nearby as a woman in a chef's outfit ran towards him and the Machamp, clamping them a three-way handshake. She thanked him profusely, before offering them a meal on the house. "Yeah, I think I can work with that." Jimmy smirked, once more full of confidence. He also noticed the suit the Machamp was wearing wasn't looking so good anymore. He had made suits for Pokémon before, but not specifically for a Machamp. Those four arm holes would be a bit of a challenge, but nothing he couldn't handle. Perhaps he could--

The ship rattled again as Jimmy snapped back reality. There would be time for that later. A voice on the loudspeaker rang out, asking the passengers to get to the main stadium for evacuation. Sounded like as good of an idea as any. Looks like it was time to hit the-- "Oh hey what's that?" Jimmy's eyes were immediately drawn to a rattling stone on the floor, apparently having come from the pillar that had just fallen over. As he held it in his hand, he could feel inspirational tingles in the back of his mind. Normally he would get out his sketchbook and let his mind wander, but there wasn't exactly time for that.

Slipping the stone into one of his suit's inside pockets, he began to make his way towards the stadium. Now all he had to do was remember how to get there. He had spent his time mostly just wandering around without any real thought, or following the crowd as the main event was underway. Fortunately for him, maps were pretty commonplace, so it couldn't be too hard, right? It's not like the flickering lights, screaming people, and several alcoholic beverages in his system would hinder him in any significant amount. Just gotta do this one step at a time.

He'd make it about halfway there when a giant holographic Pokémon erupted through the floor, sending several passengers reeling back in fear. Jimmy couldn't quite see what it was, but what he could see was a beautiful shade of red, like the last flickers of light over the sunset. Jimmy instinctively reached for his sketchbook, only for a stray passenger to elbow him in the side as they ran past him towards the evac point. Right. There was danger. There would be time for that stuff later.

Several flights of stairs later an exhausted Jimmy made it to the central stadium. Unfortunately for Jimmy the suit he was wearing was for social events, not sporting events. Although... maybe he could make a suit specifically for sporting events! It could breathe easy, with flexible joints that--

The ship's floor rocked once more as Jimmy stumbled forwards. Right. Gotta keep focus.

---

Jun gives a two-fingered salute and a wicked grin to the chef that pointed out his good deed, hoping it was just that. A good deed during an unfortunate accident, that would not escalate to anything further. That was, of course, when the Captain's voice came through.

"Attention passengers, this is your captain speaking. For your safety, please gather in the main stadium - again, for your safety, please gather in the main stadium."

His grin rapidly morphs into a nasty grimace, his irritation being highlighted by his face paint, making him look rather ghastly. Jun pats Norbert on the back, and the two start to exit the restaurant, hanging near the back of the pack to make sure the restaurant staff, and the stumbling drunk, got out of the room okay. He wasn't gonna go all big-damn-heroes and start staging daring rescues, but he wasn't built for bystanding either. So he and Norbert'd help where needed, and hopefully it wouldn't be needed at all.. Hopefully.

"MAN! Must've burnt out all our good luck getting an invite! Now the cruise is nothing but bad fortune!- HEYYY!"

Jun belts out a heavy metal scream, pointing towards the two people arguing pretty much right next to the way out of the restaurant. At first it seemed like Jun was going to chew them out something fierce, given his face paint and the fact that he initiated the interaction by showcasing his voice projection, but when he speaks it was with concern more than anything else. After all, if he wanted, he could've just shoved right on by and kept up with the whole evacuation thing.

"I dunno what's got you two arguin', but we gotta make like a Nanab Berry and split! C'MON!! I'm not the kinda guy to run when somebody's behind me, but I sure ain't plannin' on lettin' my coordinator career end in a watery grave! Ain't that right Norbert!?"

The Exeggutor was sedately heading to the exit, levitating a table out of its way instead of walking around it. When his name was called out, he plans his multiple heads over to look at his trainer, and gives a lazy grin. Not matching the intensity of the situation whatsoever. "Eggutor." He declares sleepily.

---

Hail blinked at the newcomer. His eyes scanned the stranger's.... unique costume for a moment, and a smirk spread across his lips.

Now there was a recognisable face. It was the loud fire hazard guy from the first round of the contest. He'd given a performance to remember to be sure, if a somewhat reckless one with what happened near the end. But, what was life without a little bit of danger?

Or, potentially a lot, in his case.

It surprised Hail to see him here, but his response came easily nonetheless. "An argument would imply some kind of equivalence. This is just–"

"Esp."

"Irrelevant. I suppose we should head off to the stadium now."

And without any further words, he did just that. As much as he would have liked to investigate what exactly had gone so wrong for the SS Lugia, this simply wasn't the time to do so. There was no telling how the passengers would react if things got any worse—and he believed they would—so he had to stay with them, at least for now. Ghast would hopefully be able to provide a clearer picture once he returned.

Speaking of the Dragapult....

Ghast floated silently, invisible to the world.

He watched the masked trainer recall his fallen Pokemon and observed the security officer approaching two others.

"Draaag...."

His mission complete, the Dragapult turned and floated away, making his way back to his own trainer.

Sai noticed Ghast's presence long before Hail did, and the Espeon filled in her trainer while the ghost-type remained unseen.

"Esp. Espeon."

Hail was quiet for a moment as he processed the information.

".... Is that so? A masked trainer? Well, then, it looks like we have some uninvited guests," he muttered to himself, narrowing his eyes.

"I wonder...."