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- 

[i][b]Ping![/b][/i] 

"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 [i]"Awwww"[/i] 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.

[i][color=40E0D0]"Evacuation point"[/color][/i], 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.

[color=40E0D0]"What in the guardians' names...?"[/color] 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.

[i][color=40E0D0]"If I make it through this, I might even call Grandma to share what I saw!"[/color][/i] 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.