Looking down at her, Skyler pulled in close underneath his arm, a lazy smile curled at the corner of Angelo's mouth in mirror with her own lopsided one. Many things, he’d think secretly in the back of his mind, but instead went for something a little more teasing; as was so very easy to do in her presence. “Hm... I suppose it would have to be that I wish my last meal hadn’t been a ‘Skyler Special’.” He wrinkles his nose in playful manner, only half pulling her leg. It had been as bad as the rumours suggested but Angelo had struggled through half of the breakfast before the charred remains of what he suspected had been eggs on toast, had been deposited slyly into his Gyarados’s waiting maw over the side of the boat. “Though I’ve got to hand it to you, I didn’t think you could get that many shell pieces into one egg… At least, that's what I hope the crunch was.” Poor Volans.

As he chuckled, Skyler slipped away from his embrace and began running towards the jungle fringe, her blonde curls and near wicked grin vibrant even against the lush canopy of green that loomed around them. “The island isn’t going anywhere, you know!” Angelo calls out, before picking up the pace anyway, jogging after her until plants tickled against his skin and threatened to tangle in his dark hair. His excitement palpable on his tongue and thirst for adventure impatiently guiding him into the dense foliage after his friend.

“So,” he hums as he catches up to her, his longer legs toned from constant travelling allowing him to fall in line beside Skyler without too much effort, hands coming to rest against the back of his head with his elbows pointed out in a picture of nonchalance. “This so called ‘lost treasure’ we heard about... Think it’s worth looking into?” Angelo grinned because, duh, of course it was. Who did he think he was talking to?

skyler dross

For all the nicknames she gave him, Angelo’s smile turned into something far from angelic at Skyler’s confidence to rise to the challenge, a mischievous curl pulling on the corner of his mouth. “That's my Sky. I was getting worried that you'd gone five minutes without bringing it up.” He liked that about her, how she took it all head on, like there was no room for doubts. Like there was nothing in her way that could slow her down when she set her mind on a goal. It really was something…

“Ugh, a curse I’m willing to bear if you so wish it!” He drawled in response, hands clutching at the material over his heart and expression twisting into a mock wince, as she threatened him with the responsibilities of cooking. Honestly, he didn’t need convincing, he’d already promised himself that the next time he saw Skyler reach for a frying pan it would be thrown into the nearest body of water, accepting his delegation of cook while they were together. It wasn’t like he was a stranger to it anyway, it was cheaper to cook for yourself and so on the road he would often whip something up rather than splurge on cafes or takeaways. Making meals for two always made for a nice change, though.

Angelo laughed as the sailor stomped off, leaving him to vocalise his amusement towards her retreating back at the expense of her terrible cooking skills. It was promptly cut off when she began to slip over, for a brief second something hitched in his throat, like he was preparing himself to run over and help her up. To put on a face long practiced. Only this was Skyler and just like she managed to catch herself from falling over, Angelo, too, caught himself from tripping into an old habit. This was Skyler. Dependable, confident and sure. She didn’t need him to hold her hand.

His smile returned as Skyler’s threat called out, shoulders relaxing.

Although he resisted the urge to chuckle out something playful he couldn’t help himself, as he followed her over the fallen down log, from pretending to slip down the other side in a show of mimicking his companions earlier near miss. He snickered immaturely as he jumped off, landing fine and springing forward a few steps from the momentum, his hand clapping against her shoulder with unmasked amusement, his smile wide. He didn’t need to say anything to deserve a punch in the arm.

“Hang on, I think I wrote down some stuff that the rep mentioned about this treasure rumour.” He breathes out around a chuckle, his hand still clasped on her shoulder as his free hand dug around in his pocket, rummaging through the bits and bobs of junk he frequently had drifting in his jacket. “Here,” a crumpled piece of paper is produced from the depths of his pockets and he passes it to Skyler, expression loosening into something a little more relaxed. “They didn’t really say much that sounded important – probably why they haven’t found it yet – but they did mention something about a landmark that looked like a Tropius head. In the North East, I think.”

skyler dross

Excitement crackled as Skyler surveyed the scratchy handwriting he had hastily jotted down prior to landing on the island, his gaze drifting from the paper to her features, those silver eyes of hers seeming to sparkle like a castaway finally finding fresh water; like he had just handed her an oar while adrift. It was infectious and Angelo, with an unconscious squeeze of his fingertips on the shoulder where his hand had lingered, was quickly drawn in to the rising anticipation of their self-imposed challenge.

“It’ll be like searching for a ditto in a crowd,” despite the saying, there was no trace of apprehension there, his blue eyes filled with anticipation and his mind already a whirl of wonder for what their adventure may bring. “Let’s get going then. No time to waste, we aren’t going to find anything five seconds from the beach.” It would be boring if things turned out to be too easy. They had a whole week to search the island, to get to grips with their surroundings and see what bounty their temporary tropical life had to offer; both in treasure and experience. Something tells Angelo that this will be a memory to hold onto.

Skyler decided to lead the charge, jumping back into the jungle with but an impish grin on her face to tell him to follow, leaving him to chase after her retreating back into the vibrant foliage. He let her to take up the front of their party of two, content to trail a step or two behind so that he could take in their surroundings, curiously absorbing the sight of the trees towering above and the way the sunshine leaked through the canopy, casting beams of light to dapple his skin and make Sky’s blonde hair shine. As he walked, Angelo sprinkled in light conversation, carefreely contemplating this rumoured treasure and commenting on the island itself, on places he’d like to visit and where they should consider to be their next destination should they survive the ‘trials’ of their present choice.

They didn’t stop until they heard the sound of rushing water in the distance, Angelo opting to go and check it out, pushing through a rather prickly bush that left a thorn or two in his hair and clothes before he burst out on the other side. “So, option A… we carry on going through the jungle.” His voice calls out from behind the foliage, rising loud enough for her to hear over the sound of the rumbling water that had suddenly amped up in ferocity. “Or we have option B. Go over the Ruthless Rapids.”

Brushing the barbs off his arm, Angelo is standing at the edge of a wide river, its contents dark and frothing with the kind of speed that suggested that there had been a heavy rainfall earlier, water splashing towards his toes that had broken the bank. From what could be observed, there were two ways to get over the torrent, either on a set of damp stones that jutted out of the rapids in awkward shapes or some vines that hung from a large tree over the river. He turned towards his companion with a raised eyebrow that hinted at her to dare. “You can choose our fate, since you're the water expert and all.”

skyler dross

“Exactly, so you better not shatter my poor, innocent faith.” Angelo meets her challenging smirk with a mock little touch of his heart and a pout of his lips which, far too easily, transforms into a grin of his own. He is confident in Skyler’s abilities anyhow but that was besides the point, he had simply questioned her because he was curious to find out which route she would take. He found that he wasn’t disappointed with her answer.

“Okay, okay… I like the sound of that.” They both turn to face one another and while Skyler puffs up her chest, standing tall like a Meowth would when attempting to size down a potential rival, Angelo sticks his hands in his pockets and leans forward in a display of nonchalance instead, looking down at her so that they were near chest-to-chest and nose-to-nose. No way he could back down from her challenge, sparks already crackling through the air and dancing across his skin, feeling just about ready to take on the world. “And I don’t want to hear any complaining or any take-backsies from the loser, they have to take their teasing like a cha-“

And a massage…?

His words trail away with the bubbling sounds of the river. Lips suddenly pressing together in a line, traces of his smile fading for the briefest of moments, leaving him standing there awkwardly in front of the one person who could probably smell the abrupt change of direction his thoughts had taken like a police Growlithe. Damn her. He hadn't expected that one and, worse of all, he found himself unable to veto it... “You don’t need an excuse, Sky. If you want to give me one, you just need to ask, you know,” was how he chose to flirtatiously respond but considering the pause he had taken, it probably didn’t have quite the same punch as it should have. 


“But sure. I’m game. I mean, I spend all day running around all over the region, unless you do some secret Mankey-Woman training in your spare time, this is going to be a walk in the park.” Straightening up, Angelo gives her a smirk and brings a hand to the top of her golden head to ruffle the wavy strands playfully, as if the annoyingly teasing piece of physical contact would make them a little more even, before quickly bouncing back a step and retreating towards the slippery death trap of stepping stones. “Ready? Remember, no returns policy!” He shouts over towards her, feeling ready for the challenge, despite some small insignificant braincell telling him it probably wasn’t that good of an idea. That sense of thirst for the thrill of competition and the temptation of the prize had long drowned out that poor, singular thought.

skyler dross

She’s going to be the death of me… He thinks as her words ring in his ears and her moon bright eyes imprint in his mind even as he turns away, yet his thoughts were far from bitter, his blood buzzing from the thrill of their dance of playful tongues and fiercely warm rivalry. It’s far too easy to become wrapped up in it all with Skyler. Getting her to smile with that wicked confidence, goading her to snarl at him, it was something he didn’t think he’d get bored with.

Blue eyes swept across the length of the river to peer at his blonde companion as she raced towards the hanging vines, watching for a moment as she approached the tree. Then, as she began to settle herself into her Mankey business, Angelo tore his gaze away and pushed himself off the riverbank. His heart began to race as his feet left the safety of the jungle floor, excitement and anticipation gripping tight as he decided, in a split second, that the slow and steady method just wasn’t for him. Legs strong from constant cycling use, Angelo felt confident that if he didn’t dawdle on the stepping stones, then he would be able to clear it much faster than Skyler could. He might be able to take two at a time with his reach, too.

Racing against Skyler always filled him with a surge of adrenaline, an addictive high, his hunger for victory made all the more potent at their little wager. Foot landing on the first rock, finding it flat, Angelo bounded forward again with a swell of satisfaction, his arms half held out to the side to bring himself a sense of balance. “Shit,” his heart jolted as the second stone wobbled under his foot and he quickly propelled himself onto the next before he could slip, his jaw clenching as he staggered a little. For a moment he held his breath, even after both legs found purchase on the third, chest tightening as he fought to balance himself.

Water sloshed angrily towards his feet, dampening his clothes with the spray and for a moment he thought he’d really fall, swearing in his mind at the thought of having to admit a damp defeat. With a heavy sigh, he thankfully manages to maintain his balance and despite a sudden desire to look over to see how his opponent was doing, Angelo pushed it away in favour of moving onwards; preparing himself to spring-jump along the rest. It was just as his feet prepared to leave the rock that the Carvanha smacked him square in the chest.

“Fucking, ow!” He manages to splutter out as the fish slaps against him angrily, his words biting off as the surprise attack sends him slipping mid-jump, one foot reaching the next stepping stone while the other plunges into the depths of the water. His hands slap down on the edge of the rock to stop himself from falling the rest of the way in and, somehow, he manages to quickly yank his foot free from the force of the rapid just as he feels something sharp begin to graze. Angelo wasn’t prepared to look down at the fish infested water and see how many sets of teeth were smiling up at him, instead falling back onto his original plan, retreating quickly across the rest of the way with a sudden new motivation to hasten his steps.

Angelo makes it onto the other side with a disgustingly wet leg, one shoe swimming in water, with all the grace as a new-born Deerling; stumbling onto the bank and only just managing to stay upright. And that wasn’t even the most disappointing result of the race. Just throw me back in and let the Carvanha eat me. He peers up at her, hands resting on his knees as he catches his breath and calms his racing pulse, lips quirking up in an expression that told her he already knew the answer.

“Did I win?”

skyler dross

For someone who had just won their little race Skyler was acting rather pissed off. Her congratulations, in particular, sounded like she was really casting a curse upon him and all his family for generations to come. Confusion whirling in his brain, mind jumbled from the strange outcome and the remains of the adrenaline that still pulsed, Angelo rose an eyebrow at her before parting his lips. He had every intention on clearing up this misunderstanding, to hand over the gold medal to her – he had been so certain that Skyler had reached the bank before he had – but his words were pushed right back down his throat as her voice drowned him out. She did not seem happy.

He looked down at the grass as he pushed himself off his knees, downturned face hiding the strained smile, curled from amusement at the bitterness he thought he could hear in her voice and his growing mischief, born from the foreboding warning of his future massage. Damn, she was such a sore loser. When he stood back up at full height, Angelo’s lips had turned into something bright and carefree, his mind resolved towards an act of his own mischievous revenge. Let her think he’d won, after that response she deserved a bit of taunting; to hell if it was petty.

He’d tell her about the misunderstanding later…. Maybe.

“Got to risk it all if you want to win. Put your heart in it, ya know.” Angelo returned the shit-eating grin with his own, trying not to think of the backlash later, instead focusing on the delicious satisfaction of the present where he got to rub it in her face and watch her stupidly endearing, furious reactions. He knew it was like poking an Ursaring with a stick but damn, was it too addictive to stop. “I’m sure I will, going to need it after a long day of exercising my bragging rights.”

As Skyler is distracted looking around their new side of the river, Angelo reaches forward to grip hold of her shoulder, using her as a balance without warning so he could lift his wet foot up. “Hey, make yourself useful and stand still for a minute, since you’re so good at it.” He removes his shoe and tips the water contents into the grass with a grimace, sticking it back on his foot with difficulty as it squelched and squeaked enough for him to feel a flicker of regret. This was not going to be a fun walk.

Stifling a shiver, he looked up towards the sky at Skyler’s question, hand releasing her shoulder to shield his eyes from the sunshine. “No guarantees,” he hums as he measures the distance of the sun, trying to recall the time they had leaped off her boat. “But I think it’s this way. I’ll lead.” Purposefully punctuating on the syllables, he looks over his shoulder at her as he passes with every intention of jabbing at her ‘loss’ while he could, taking up the front as they walked until the sun gradually began to sink lower and lower.

skyler dross