Sun-bleached tile in shades of beige and orange, sparkling fountains, and sizzling papas bravas come to mind at the mention of his origin. They were but a fraction of memories before his world had crumbled apart. And, frankly, he still wasn't prepared to talk about it.

Breaking out of his momentary stupor, he shifts his blue eye in her direction and manages a small smile. "If I tell you, I'd have to kill you. And we can't have that after saving my life, can we?" He wearily chuckles.

"In any case... I do appreciate the discretion. Though right now I'd appreciate leaving this tin can and getting a stiff drink, more than anything..."

MUMMY GAUZE + @evelyn

☉

Suddenly, a Dragapult's wide head emerges out from behind an outcrop of white-veined rock. It peers down at Cathrine Fisher and her Gardevoir with rabid curiosity brimming from its yellow slits. And, in moments, its one-eyed trainer calmly rounds a corner and appears before them as well.

He comes to a stop, just far enough for the light from their torches to mingle together, before his spectral dragon flies down to hover by his side. "... You're not lost, are you?" The man plainly asks, wondering whether he'd have to postpone his research assignment to escort her out. There wouldn't be enough time to come back afterwards if he did. The tide waited on no one.

DUO WILD + Cathrine Fisher

☉

Is she properly awed, or is she flattering him? Naturally, Cade can't tell. They'd only just met, after all. But that's probably what makes things so terribly interesting, too...

"You're right, I'm not..." He smiles weakly, somewhat comforted to hear that she wasn't from here either. Realizing, then, that perhaps he'd held onto her hand for a beat too long, he releases it from his own and watches as she chuckles in response to his appreciation.

"Anything, hm?" The blonde smoothly retorts, watching as a few bangs of hair fall across her forehead in such an alluring manner. "That's a dangerous proposition, Evelyn... especially when you haven't even asked me how I got these injuries to begin with." He teases.

"... The other nurses always ask."

Though he mentions that with a degree of exhaustion, rather than pride. He's just surprised she hadn't, is all.

MUMMY GAUZE + @evelyn

☉

The entire tree drips with honey.

Standing at the center of a grass clearing in the PETALBURG WOODS, it is unclear how the tree managed to get itself drenched into such copious amounts of the viscous, golden substance. There were no signs of a Combee hive anywhere nearby. Nor any buckets to show the signs of human involvement.

Regardless, the dripping tree had attracted quite a lot of attention from the wildlife. So much so that, over the past week or so, many hikers and travelers along the route nearby had filed complaints to the League over unwanted encounters and attacks. The Pokémon had been crazed, they'd often said, and unrelenting.

Cade Atreides stands before this bizarre anomaly now. His BANETTE, in the meantime, sinks into the shadow of the tree and swims its way up its trunk until reaching the top. It pokes its head out of the leaves, grinning down at its trainer until setting its eyes upon a newcomer on the scene. The one-eyed blonde, too, turns to look.

"... You must be on the same mission as I."

He flatly remarks.

---

⚠ mission: honey trap

MISSION + OPEN

☉

Icicles drip across a field of jagged, white-splotched rocks. The tide has almost entirely receded from the innards of SHOAL CAVE. Though it is sure to return in the night, within a matter of hours. The window of opportunity to explore its mysterious labyrinthian caverns has been set.

Traversing across this terrain, with a small lantern strapped to his belt, Cade Atreides is guided by his DRAGAPULT, LOBO. They've come to investigate a strange set of runic symbols reported to have been found here some time ago.

Though the pack full of empty moon balls he carries across his shoulder speaks to a secondary purpose: catching any useful or powerful Pokémon he might come across.  

---

💎 duo wild (ice/ground)

DUO WILD + OPEN

☉

A discarded toy had washed up ashore. Where it had come from, Cade could not even begin to fathom. From the looks of things, they were a great distance from any city or town. Perhaps a child had dropped it into the ocean from a cruise ship?

Regardless, when he picks it up, the 'toy' suddenly spins its head around to show him a sinister grin. It SUCKER PUNCHES the one-eyed blonde, forcing him to drop it before it attempts to scurry away. Thankfully, Lobo is there to shoot it down (DRAGON DARTS). Afterwards, when Cade has finished recovering from the low blow, the Banette is captured within a moon ball.

---

✨ catching banette

SOLO WILD + LOBO

☉

It's startling how effective the hand pressed against his chest proves to be. Whether there's more to it than just his weakened physical state, the mercenary isn't sure. Regardless, coupled with her stern yet sweetly smooth words, Evelyn's suggestion becomes impossible to resist against. He exhales a sigh in defeat, settling back down.

Despite that, the nurse inspires another hint of a smile on his otherwise tired countenance shortly thereafter. "It's Cade," He answers, his voice slightly gruff and tinged with the hint of a Spanish accent. Reaching up, he softly takes her hand, holding it in his own for a little while as he thumb traces small circles upon its surface. 

"And I suppose I owe you for not letting me bleed out on the floor, hm? Thank you..."

His blue eye never leaves her countenance. Searching, perhaps, for underlying motives or desires.

MUMMY GAUZE + @evelyn

☉