A flash of blinding white light, a beacon of an Audino clad in white that would tower above his kind.

Malche, not afraid to get his hands dirty, rushed the wailord carcass, digging his soft white paws into the yielding flesh. They came back reddened, dying a softer pink up his arm- but he did not stop, using what strength he could in his improved form to help shift the whale with the help of the rest of the crew and pokemon. It seemed to be one way to do it.

Chu-e started from the sidelines, watched as his Audino, heart already so full of anger, assisted with the whale. Why did it seem like every time he came to Lilycove this happened? He just wanted to use the ferry to go back home to Mossadeep.

His frail body was exacerbated by standing next to the buff workers of the crew, being dwarfed by them. The only sign it was his pokemon was the claps on the back the workers gave him and excited noises. Chu-e looked on, impassive, his mouth and nose covered with a cloth to fend off the worst of the smell.

He did not notice Adrian Malcolm on the scene, too busy watching his pokemon work.

"Well," The foreman replied, eyes glued to the scene as well, his tone bland. "got something like that?"

The men depart to do... whatever they're supposed to be doing. With the Machoke's and Audino's help, they're making better progress than before which leads to more work needing to be done. Go figure.

Before the foreman can answer, Chu-e glances back at Adrian Malcolm. His lower face is still covered but his eyebrows are pinched together in annoyance.

"I don't know, but it's crazy. Same shit happened a few weeks ago, except that one was still alive" He grumbled, voice muffled by the cloth. That was when Cillian Quinn had come like his white knight to rescue him in his time of distress. At least this time he could, kind of, help himself. Maybe he should look for more of those mega stones. Just his Audino wouldn't be enough in situations like these.

His eyes did linger on Adrian, though. There was some... type of recognition there, even if Chu-e couldn't place from where. TV, maybe? Online? Was this the guy who ran naked into that convenience store a while back? ... No, the hair was different.

Adrian Malcolm is odd.

Chu-e's own eyes linger on the other a bit, taking him in, trying to connect those pieces that are just out of his reach. Seeing the Bewear, he releases his own; no need to keep the pokemon struggling more than they have to. "Could be something making them act up?" He started, glancing away.

But he didn't get an answer. After a few seconds, Chu-e looked back. The other seemed out of it, as if he was staring at something far away and yet... the heat of his eyes bored into him. He wondered what he saw. Maybe he looked like some lost love? Someone who hurt him? It was sad. Chu-e didn't want his presence alone to bring up painful memories for someone he had never met.

"Are you okay...?" He started.

Ah, but what if it was... what if this man could see through him like glass, to see who he really was. Did this man know who Chu-e Choi was, and not the false veneer he had covered himself with? It made Chu-e... suspicious.

Where before Chu-e had been more relaxed, now his eyes are sharper. He's the one outright staring at Adrian Malcolm now, carefully watching every small twitch and movement of the other. There is something cold about him now, calculating and searching the other man for what's unsaid. A smile curls under the cloth pressed to his face.

Interesting.

A sharp whistle leaves Chu-e at Adrain's order to his pokemon. His own pokemon perk up, the Audino and Bewear also helping to heave the Wailord into the truck. When the mass of rotting blubber and flesh is loaded up, ready to be carried away so the beach can be hosed down, Chu-e tilts his head.

"Thank you for the help... ah, I never did get your name."

Chu-e gave a small wave to the other as he started to leave, noting the name down for later mentally.

Glancing back, Chu-e saw his pokemon coming back, the Audino flickering from his previous white form back to his normal pink one. The Normal type stunk but looked vindicated in himself. Humming, he gave a little grin as he recalled his pokemon back into their balls.

At least he could go home now, all things considered.