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POSTED ON Sept 7, 2020 16:34:22 GMT

It was a short walk from Fallabor to Route 113, they'd gotten there so fast Senon was only just now realizing he hadn't spoken a word to the man with him during their trek.

"You didn't have to escort me Mal." There was no disdain in his voice, no pleading for the man to stay either. Mr. Game was so used to doing things alone he'd forgotten what it was like to have allies. "I'm new to the region but not to navigating, or walking." They arrived at a hilltop overlooking the dig site which seemed normal enough for the moment.

Allegedly ground types were running amuck here although he didn't see any Muk here; he'd brought his own poison-type and ground and water types to compensate.

There was also the suspicion that thieves were about and though Senon didn't considering himself much of thief he did have a history. These days he was a 'gambler' by trade when he wasn't cooking but there was universal truth he wouldn't bothering denying.

It took someone shady to rook someone shady.

He didn't mean to be a killjoy in such a stark change in persona compared to his loud-mouthed shenanigans at the ren faire but these were serious times and he wasn't drunk. "I appreciate the 'help' I guess, but you shouldn't be here if you have other priorities." The league was practically pissing blood from the collective stress of the megalopolans and whatever war and death loomed on the forefront.

Everyone was preparing in their own ways. Nothing galvanized apex mammals like the prospect of being eaten by something new in the food chain. Adrian was so far from rusty he practically shined, but for Senon, this was where he needed to be.

● tags: Adrian Malcolm
● notes: looking for that Jaw Fossil

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POSTED ON Sept 10, 2020 7:51:25 GMT

Adrian followed after him, anything but blind to Senon's passive dismissals. Maybe he shouldn't have been so offended, but he was. Maybe he wasn't some crazy strong League Representative...

But his sleeves had room for more than a few tricks, so he didn't see why Senon was so bothered by having an escort. Besides, the League usually assigned orders in pairs. And now of all times...

...Well, it'd pay to have a second set of eyes.

"I'm not exactly selling out stadiums these days," Actually his ratings overall had begun a sharp decline, perhaps on account of him not writing a damn thing. He hadn't even released his song from the New Year, unless his record label had gone around behind his back. And if he had, Adrian hadn't started hearing it everywhere, or anywhere for that matter. "Besides, you need the help, whether you realize it or not."

Missions like this usually went sideways for one reason or another, whether that was just Hoenn's magic at work or the insidious nature of its inhabitants, he couldn't say. "Now stop yammering about it, 'Ranger' Game, sir."

Still can't believe he's going to try and throw his lot in with them so lightly... They seemed sketchy. Or maybe he was just unwilling to risk anything in the name of anything other than himself after...

"We almost there?" If they could navigate, then he'd hoped they would have gotten there by now, or flown if he'd knew it was going to take so long...

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POSTED ON Sept 10, 2020 8:39:53 GMT

"I had no idea you were a popstar." If Adrian had seen his face he would grasp that Senon was very specifically not being an ass, just being out of touch. In his own defense he'd only know Adrian for days.

❖

They arrived at the digsite from the hilly overlook fast enough. People scurrying about their individual jobs with such focus it was hard to find someone who could point them in the direction of where they were supposed to be exactly. There seemed to be some general panic in the air and before long they knew why.

"You're the volunteers from Fortree we were sent notice about? Malcolm and Game?" A brunette with circular glasses and a resigned tone checked their identification. "This place is bustling more than I would have guessed, has something happened here?"

She fixed her glasses before studying the eyes of the two new arrivals. "As a matter of fact it has. Late this morning, half the fossils we'd uncovered seemed to have disappeared." Senon's brows arched down in a furrow.

"How did that happen?" New as he was to the ranger job, he failed to check his incredulous tone. "Security here is very lax Mr. Game; these people are archeologists and pokémon researchers. The new information in the dirt is what they kept their eyes on which is why we left the somewhat uncommon fossils just gathered off to the side and out of the way."

She crossed her arms clearly not happy about the circumstances of the morning and the missing finds. "Do you have any ideas of who could have taken them and how they got away."

"We intended to have the fossils airlifted via Corviknight carriers just after highnoon. Whoever took them must known they wouldn't be here much longer." Annoyed further by her own words she admitted begrudgingly. "But that could have been anyone; we didn't keep that information privileged."

She moved to the pile of fossils left behind. "They couldn't have gotten very far, they took so many fossils the burden has to be slowing them down."

Taking her leave Senon looked to Adrian to ensure he'd gotten the gist of what was said. Releasing three of his pokémon;

Ninju (

), Gan (

), and Jūken (

)

"Gan, Ninju. Search the digsite for any personal tunnels." The ditto transformed into a nincada and off they went. Crouching down to the Riolu's level Senon continued. "Jū, check the surrounding area for trails heading into the wilderness away from visible walking paths. -and keep an eye on Ninju and Gan." With a serious nod the Riolu was off as well leaving Senon to search on his own for leads.

● tags: Adrian Malcolm
● notes:

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POSTED ON Sept 10, 2020 9:22:30 GMT

"I wouldn't use the word star." he admitted indifferently. Sure, some people liked his music. Sometimes he scraped together enough money from gigs to pay for some fancy stuff. But most of his day-to-day expenditures came out of a trust.

Awhile Later

Adrian seems rather distracted as Senon handles the people skills, looking around the digsite, watching so many people labor away tirelessly in spite of what was coming. It was kind of unbelievable, and also somehow sad to witness. They should be with their friends and families.

Paying enough attention to learn what had happened, Adrian remarked pointedly as to the cumbersome burden being carried: "Not if they're using pokemon of their own, you know."

While Ranger Senon dispatched his ragtag crew, maximizing their potential through proper delegation, Adrian took a lazier approach. An absurdly massive flock of avian pokemon were released from his pokeballs in a cacophony of energy bursting simultaneously, the flapping of wings drowning out the hammer of pickaxes.

"Go. Look for anything suspicious you can find... come back in three minutes, even if you're coming empty handed." It would be a pain if they started traveling freely across the area while he was honorbound to the mission.

All he planned to do now was wait and see what happened. If they were nearby, as they were told to expect, then they ought to find something soon.

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POSTED ON Sept 10, 2020 9:36:15 GMT

Watching Adrian's avians move out as a flock, he was crudely reminded of all his own lost time.

In particular he remember freeing his own 'flock' before leaving Kanto to study in the culinary arts. His entire PC, and every pokemon he'd caught since his adolescent start to the great pokémon journey.

They'd all gathered around him and some of them didn't want to be released back into the wild but after some heartfelt words they all scattered, off to live their own lives. What might have become of them, what might have become of him if he'd held on to their power.

It had been about ten minutes since he'd sent out his three trackers and as it on cue the two nincada arrived with the riolu at their backs.

Jūken (

) with crossed arms patiently waited for its comrades to explain what they had found but then just as suddenly jumped on the table holding the fossils sniffing at them thoroughly.

Ninju (

) buzzed demanding Senon's attention and Gan (

) back in his original form clung to his trainer's leg; a tell that it anticipated Senon was about to begin running and it didn't want to be left behind.

Once the Ditto was in place the nincada took off and the trainer followed, the riolu not far behind after it finished its inquiring of the remaining fossil's scents.

Just outside the parameter's of the dig spot was a mound of thin and freshly over-turned dirt; the same kind left behind when Senon made his team dig secret and tunnels for him. Like back in Slateport last week. "Paydirt."

● tags: Adrian Malcolm
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POSTED ON Sept 10, 2020 11:26:36 GMT

The birds hadn't found much. Nothing of import anyhow, although many returned with something, perhaps to win over their master. Eh. Oh well.

It was always worth taking a shot at something.

It seemed Senon's pokemon had fared much better, the dejected Riolu aside. His features twinged with pity to see it troubled so, but soon enough they were off to pursue a different lead. At the time, he still had Reign in to, its hulking, lustrous plumage claiming the skies above as Adrian and Sirius stalked the ground below, bringing up the rear as they found... Paydirt?

"What the f@#% is that, some sorta lingo?"

As they'd gotten near it, Sirius had lowered its shoulders towards the ground, a low growl breaking its silence. "You smell something...?"

While Reign lumbered through the air, grinding its wings, he was forced to wait and figure out what Senon was going on about. Obviously the spot looked a little out of place, but... did he think they were buried here in a temporary cache of sorts?

"Why don't you take point, Ranger Game?"

Adrian had sprung enough traps in his own time.

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POSTED ON Sept 11, 2020 22:33:14 GMT

Adrian had the right idea, this out of place mound was definitely a 'hot' lead. How hot though, they'd need to literally dig a little deeper to see. It was entertaining the way he seemed pay authority and leadership 'rights' over to ranger of the group at every turn, while still being perfectly capable and very much not a slouch.

Seemed strange for a musician to not want all the spotlight.

Maybe he was just saving his own ass from what lurked lurked in the depths. If that was the case it was fine, if Senon keep putting himself in the red-zone; he'd become 'Crimsen' again. Either way; it was nice not to have someone to banter with, even if it meant running the risk of one day not being able to ever banter with them again.

Thick as thieves became a turn of phrase because even those who couldn't be trusted, couldn't truly survive alone. So if you couldn't trust anyone, it was better not to trust anyone along with someone else. Lessons he'd never be chronologically-able to share with his younger self.

"It means we found what we're looking for." It wasn't to be overlooked that what stood out more than the upturned dirt was Adrian's not knowing what "Paydirt" meant as colloquialism. "This is a dig site, where its the job of the people and pokemon to dig things up and leave them exposed for study, if not extract them for further study."

"The only person covering whats already been dug at dig site is the person who doesn't want anyone to know what they found." He pondered the battle to come already thinking a few steps ahead of his explanation to Adrian. "Unless there's a keltomanic pokémon around here just doing its own thing..." He ignored the urge to look at the ditto on his leg. "The thief has ground, rock, steel, or bug types covering his tracks."

Releasing Drillbur from his pokeball, Gan (

) was made to transform into a nincada again and the three given strict orders to dig out the lose tunnel that had only recently been made and poorly filled in.

With the three of them working together, it took mere seconds for a path almost wide enough for two adult men to walk shoulder to shoulder; or one adult person to walk with something wider than they themselves were. Something like, an overstuffed bundle of pokémon fossils.

As the ground types and their ditto copy-cat carved out the path. The Riolu "Jūken" and the unnamed Croagunk formed the vanguard, their fighting instincts ready to defend the trainers behind them.

● tags: Adrian Malcolm
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POSTED ON Sept 12, 2020 8:33:53 GMT

"Gotta hand it to ya, you're doin' a good job."

Would've liked it a little less cramped, though... But it might become unstable down here, and he very much didn't want the earth above caving in on them, even if it wasn't massively underground.

With Senon's pokemon carving the path and taking point, he was able to afford a brisk yet leisurely sort of pace, hands stuffed in empty pockets.

"If we find anything, remember to be careful," his words were aimed at Senon, but truly it was his pokemon that should've taken the sentiment to heart. "They're carrying fossils; fragile, delicate. Try to keep the goods in one piece so it's not all in vain." Emphasis on try.

Adrian still wasn't sure whether they would find anything meaningful in time, but at least they weren't sitting around a dusty dig site being worked to the bone. That'd been less than ideal.

I wonder how Florian's been doing since back then... Adrian paid enough attention not to step on Senon's heels, though he verged on it with his lengthy gait. "See anything up ahead yet?"

He'd preferred taking up the rear rather than bumping shoulder-to-shoulder as they walked.

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POSTED ON Sept 12, 2020 23:44:36 GMT

He was better than he used to be at taking compliments. "I've got good back up this time." It was true he wasn't just blowing smoke; he'd totally forgotten or at least overlooked the possibility that the fossils might be fragile, even brittle.

Kiri's egg had been like a lump of pure ore inside a bigger lump of petrified earth.

His mother had restored life to fossils professionally since his birth, at first independently on Cinnabar and now for Devon Corp. in Rustboro. He really was rusty to have forgotten about not being sensitive with prehistoric findings.

Moving down the freshly made tunnel they eventually came to a break in the wall where it opened to a deeper cavern or cave.

Before things got too hectic, all the pokemon were returned their pokéballs and in their place, Kiri emerged. (

) Called for to handled and ground rock or bug types the Prototurtle crawled calmly by his side and rounding a corner they solved the case.

Knocked out and bleeding from the head the thief and his sandslash had been beating by an angry Nidoking, a little larger than the norm. Breaking away from his partner Senon called out to the ground type and at his signal, Kiri blasted it with a HYDRO PUMP, effectively turning its attention away from the bundle of fossils.

"Hey Mal, get the fossils back topside, I'll take care of 'David' over there on the floor and Kiri will handle 'Goliath'." Stepping in the way to cover Adrian's escape Senon called Gan from his pokeball just in case another water-type was needed.

● tags: Adrian Malcolm
● notes: I NEED THAT JAW FOSSIL SHIV!

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POSTED ON Sept 13, 2020 1:39:08 GMT

"Oh, great..." That was just the sort of job he'd been looking forward to; lugging the rocks all the way back through the tunnel. "Alrighty then."

It also made him worry about whether Senon could handle the situation by his lonesome. Taking care not to let the human culprit get too banged up while clashing with a virulent lizardon was tricky.

But Adrian supposed this is what giving them his 'trust' was all about, as he stumbled through the dark, the fossils in tow shifting in the parcel.

Once he got back to the site, looking to have taken a dirt shower, he was able to drop off the stolen goods and give a bit of a synopsis as to what they'd found. "He's still down there, but he'll be back soon. If not, well... shit." He shrugged.

It'd been his idea, so he better be damned ready to follow up and not make him look bad for leaving.

Sénon Game ^{I HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED THE MISSION REWARDS BUT NOT THE FOSSIL IF THAT MAYBE MATTERS!
Although Sen seemed to want something from this mission.}

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