The answer was yes, actually.[break]
Yes, he could hear her. Yes, he did hear her.[break][break]

”Excuse the fuck outta me?”[break][break]

Yes, he thought the idea was a bit stupid.[break][break]

Smart in another context, but stupid in this specific one. What hadn’t been conveyed by expression had instead been conveyed through the sheer audacity at her audacity within his tone, and in the same moments she’d suggested as such, he’d snapped his gaze over towards her within nothing short of an instant.[break][break]

”Ya wanna blow this joint up. Here. And risk, I dunno, trappin’ us here? Collapsing the fuckin’ roof of the cave? Nixin’ a possible place out?”[break][break]

He cast a glance towards the outskirts of the cavern, altogether, quirking his lip.[break][break]

”And ya realize if we blow this shit up, us bein’ the only people here is probably gonna change, yeah? May not be anyone now, but there’s gotta be at least one fucker that’ll be curious enough to look.”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (60 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cave, 1/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Post (+10)

ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

Maybe she shouldn’t be poking fun, or jesting during a mission - but she can’t help it. [break][break]

These missions were always so dreary, and so boring, so a little dark humor is her pick me up. Unfortunately, it seems to have gone over her partner’s head. So her response is only to smile, and wave a black gloved hand. “I was joking, I’m not that unhinged.” [break][break]

They have to still access the rift anyway. If they wanted the rift plugged up and finished with, the league would have already done that ages ago (and Rocket would have fought against it, being the contrarians they were). When she looks around, she finds it odd that there are no league members patrolling - she was certain there had been commotion, and that they were called in order to keep the League members away. [break][break]

So where were they? [break][break]

And her ears perk at the sound of the slightest echoing footsteps, no matter how light it was. Her brows furrow beneath the mask, and red eyes open to glare in the only direction it could have come from. [break][break]

“... Y’know, I kind of hope we don’t have any company soon..” she’s laid back, but her gut’s keeping her on guard as her hand hovers over one of her pokeballs. “But it sounds like we might.”



[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER

70 MP

> Mission: Cave (1/2)
[break]> Postdorm Mission +50 MP
[break]> IC Post +20 MP

Inigo del Rosario

☉

”Coulda fuckin’ fooled me.”[break][break]

A remark equally as annoyed as it was blunt, truly. Far be it for him to be so strict while off the clock, though that, alone, had been his singular saving grace. In spite of what most may have assumed him to be when meeting him on common ground, professionalism and tact had been things of the utmost importance to him, and thus had he found himself at a brief, exasperated loss within the face of her words.[break][break]

Yet that exasperation had been all too fleeting as he, too, noted the footsteps afar— though it had taken him several more moments to discern them as such. His eyes narrowed towards the source of the sound before long, however, and he slowly began to lift himself from his idling spot in favor of beginning to stalk towards the further end of the cavernous corridor.[break][break]

”That’s somethin’ we can agree on, though,” he murmured, shifting into his communications line despite the shortened distance. A hand hovered over the gun within one of the holsters upon his belt. ”Already on it. Be ready.”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (80 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cave, 1/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Post (+10)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (recon) (+10 MP)

ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

It echoes. [break][break]

For what she lacks in sight, she's made up plenty with sound. The soft clicks of rubber and plastic against the gravel put her on high alert, enough for her to quietly click on the button of a SALAZZLE who slips onto all fours. The trainer doesn't say anything, but the pokemon's vision lets it see the woman's motions to traverse a bit deeper through the darkness. [break][break]

Though dark, the lizard slips her way across the walls, leaving only the thin, slick fluid that allows her to stick behind. Reptilian eyes lock onto a pair of flashlights in the distance, keen eyes taking a gander at what was to come, before quickly turning tail to return to her trainer's side. [break][break]

The salazzle peeks over, tapping her fingers against the trainer's shoulder. "Two people." she recites, narrowing her eyes as the salazzle continues to softly tap. "Patrol, we can take them out quickly." she hums, patting the Salazzle's head before the pokemon raises her tail into the air, prepping for a DRAGON PULSE at the man's move.


[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER

80 MP

> Mission: Cave (1/2)
[break]> Postdorm Mission +50 MP
[break]> IC Post +30 MP

Inigo del Rosario

☉

He clicked his tongue, shrugging.[break][break]

”Like always, then, I guess,” he sighed, shifting a brief gaze down towards where the reptilian had both left and returned from. He eyed the creature for a few moments as if mulling something over, though only lightly so, before humming and tapping his hand against one of the capsules upon his belt.[break][break]

An Aggron manifested at the gesture, and after sharing a brief look and nod with his trainer, conjured a quick Protect before all of them as the man, himself, unholstered the gun he’d brought along.[break][break]

”Do the honors, then, Cuz~,” he said, peering down the cavernous tunnels once more. ”Looks like ya got everythin’ rearin’ t’go already, anyways.”[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (100 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cave, 1/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Post (+10)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (recon) (+10 MP)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (+10 MP)

ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

For all the shit she talks, she gets work done. [break][break]

Her lips go from neutral into a soft smile, feeling the rumbling of an Aggron planting its feet into the cavern's stone. She'll assume that the sheen she hears is the barrier of protect - and if she didn't already know of the moveset, she'd almost think he sent out the tyranitar. Almost. [break][break]

"Aw, you don't wanna start the action?" the woman chimes, though still snaps her fingers towards the Salazzle. The blue orb continues to charge in a snapped open maw, before rings of a DRAGON PULSE is released deeper into the cave. Of course, she's standing behind the shield of PROTECT. [break][break]

Screams follow the pulse, but they don't die out. Which means they live. It's almost a shame, but she's cold, and not a killer, so she hopes that it's enough to give them a scare-- it doesn't, evident by the gun shot she hears from deeper in. The woman adjusts the mask beneath her blindfold, taking a breath. The air in the cave wasn't exactly pleasant, after all. [break][break]

"Rude." She mockingly huffs, tapping the toe of her boot against the ground "Don't they know how many pokemon are asleep?" she waves her hand at the Salazzle, who now shoots a TOXIC down the hall - as far as she could, at least. Maybe it'll push them away, seeing a puddle of corrosive poison. Maybe it'll wake up more pokemon. Who knows?


[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER

80 MP

> Mission: Cave (1/2)
[break]> Postdorm Mission +50 MP
[break]> IC Post +40 MP

Inigo del Rosario

☉

Another shrug, paired boredly with another glance down the tunnel.[break][break]

"I mean, yeah, but this day's already been tirin' enough, man..." he sighed, his brows furrowing beneath his mask. He took a deep breath as the screams of those afar met his ears, and although it remained hidden beneath a layer of impatience (and, more obviously, fabric), a faint smirk tugged upon his lips upon noting as such. "Less work for me, either way. Paygrade ain't worth the extra effort."[break][break]

He pursed his lips curiously, still eying the further extents of the tunnel while nodding towards his companion to continue his Protect. Better safe than sorry, after all.[break][break]

"Kinda goin' overkill, though. The fuck're we gonna do if we gotta go that way later?"[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (120 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cave, 1/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Post (+10)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (recon) (+10 MP)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (+10 MP)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (+10 MP)

ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉

"I wouldn't call it overkill." she shrugs so casually, tilting her head towards the lizard who shoots the poison puddle. Another scream could be heard, followed by soft hissing she assumes is from the burning of plastic. A smirk comes to her lips, instead. "Besides, we got plenty of ways to get out, right?" fingertips dance along her belt, stopping at the second in line.[break][break]

"We could get out via Metagross back, or--" she continues, fingers skipping over the next "have a witch teleport us out." even if she can't exactly teleport them out of the cave completely, she can easily avoid poison and other pokemon. Either way, they had options. [break][break]

There was too much work, and she really isn't getting paid enough for her time. When the screams die out, she reaches for the second pokeball, and the frame of a blue pokemon lands on the ground. Its limbs fold inwards, then begins to levitate with the help of MAGNET RISE. [break][break]

The trainer is the first to hop on, feeling the familiar steel and helping herself up. Her body scoots over, slightly, to make room for her partner there. "Or, I dunno. If they're still there and kicking, we use them as bait for the cave pokemon?" a dark thought, and you'd think she was joking with the chuckle and light tone. She's only half kidding.


[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER

210 MP

> Mission: Cave (1/2)
[break]> Postdorm Mission +50 MP
[break]> IC Post +50 MP
[break]> Assisting (Getaway) +10MP
[break]> Completed Mission +100 MP

Inigo del Rosario

☉

"Agree t'fuckin' disagree, then, I guess."[break][break]

He crossed his arms while shifting his attention down the way once more, snorting softly at the sound of the repeated screams after such a short time of peace and silence. His fingers tapped against his forearms all the while before he inhaled deeply and breathed a low, longer sigh soon after.[break][break]

After several more moments of silence, however—as well as a faint lean to glean a better angle—he just nudged the person by him before eying her and her Metagross as she mounted atop it, all while recalling his Aggron.[break][break]

"You're some kinda fucked up, y'know that?" he sighed, lifting himself onto the space made for him. "Like, I fuck with it, and I'm takin' ya up on that offer, but still."[break][break]

---

MP TRACKER (230 MP)[break]

SPOILER: Click to show

• Postdormitum Mission Participation (cave, 1/2) (+50 MP)
• IC Post (+10)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (recon) (+10 MP)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (+10 MP)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Assisting (+10 MP)

---

• IC Post (+10 MP)
• Mission Completion (Cave) (+100 MP)

ARIADNE MAUCH [break]
outfit. on the nose, i know lmfao

☉