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creatures of habit, carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes.

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TAG WITH @gavin

POSTED ON Feb 22, 2022 19:06:32 GMT

How do you say 'I love you' in flower?

It's a question that brings Gavin, at last, to the Fiorelli Floristry in Petalburg. There are certainly closer florists in the region to his Sootopolis abode but to his knowledge, this is the only one owned and operated by a Rocket.

They've never met save in passing, where Gavin might've offered a polite nod of greeting, but he knows her name from the file they have on her. Elisabeth Fiorelli. He enters the converted cottage, amber eyes scanning the space until they fall upon the beauty.

"Ms. Fiorelli, I take it?" The smile Gavin offers is pleasant enough, but one who has been through the sort of horrors as she might recognize the lack of it in his eyes. In that same vein, however, there is nothing overtly threatening about him, only a heaviness behind the mask that suggests pleasantries were learned rather than instinctive. "I was hoping for your consult on a custom bouquet, ideally in time for Palentines? I saw an ad..."

Elisabeth Fiorelli

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Scarlet

Lisa Bortiforte

She/Her

August 30

Camphrier Town, Kalos

Bi/Heteroromantic

Bioterrorist

Underboss

5'9" / 175.26 cm height

Bury me in the roses and rot; I'll come back thorned.

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TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Feb 23, 2022 9:59:16 GMT

[nospaces]

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A ROSE BY[break]
ANY NAME

would remain as sweet and thorned

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Cillian Quinn

Daffodil (♀) HEALER: Petal Blizzard, Petal Dance, Sweet Scent, Magical Leaf

[attr="class","bgtk-lyric2"]within Fiorelli Floristry

[attr="class","bgtk-post"]

The little chiming of the bell outside Fiorelli Floristry's door alerted Elisabeth to the arrival of Cillian Quinn. She tucked a stray strand of golden hair behind her ear, looking over her shoulder to greet him with a bright smile. "Welcome to Fiorelli Floristry, sir. Please, call me Elisabeth. How may I help you?" [break][break]

The Rocket underboss was a perfect stranger, as far as Elisabeth was concerned. Had she known his true identity, that smile might not have come so readily.[break][break]

Despite how unusual the visitor himself was in reality, his request was a routine one that many strangers had brought to her little flower shop this season. Unfazed, Elisabeth nodded, arising from where she had been busying herself preparing a bouquet of a dozen roses. Her Bellossom shuffled in to complete the task for her mistress, chirping pleasantly as she did so. [break][break]

"I believe we can do that," Elisabeth said pleasantly, taking in his appearance with a quick glance. Somewhat stiff, she noted. Was he nervous, perhaps? Or merely used to being formal at all times? "What customization did you have in mind?"

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even in the ruins, flowers blossom and flourish

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Gavin Merlino

he/him

october 28th

circhester, galar

demisexual

the harbinger

underboss

6'3" height

creatures of habit, carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes.

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TAG WITH @gavin

POSTED ON Mar 1, 2022 0:26:20 GMT

"Elisabeth," he repeats, correcting himself. "Then you can call me Gavin."

A common enough name in Galar that the link to Underboss Merlino could only be drawn by one who was looking for suspicion in every shadow. For one who's never met the man, the blond hair and golden gaze of the underboss could seem perfectly ordinary.

He explains his predicament, and Elisabeth offers her aid.

"Well, I had thought to do things myself." A brief laugh. Gavin is proud, stubborn. "But after combing through several books on flower arranging and the meanings of certain colours and blooms, well... it's a bit overwhelming."

He peruses the delicate arrangements as he talks, admiring her work.

"This would be for my partner," he explains. "He's from Pacifidlog, one of the native Hoyeon people? So I thought perhaps hibiscus, since it's important to their culture. If he were to understand the meaning of any bloom, it would be that."

Elisabeth Fiorelli

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Scarlet

Lisa Bortiforte

She/Her

August 30

Camphrier Town, Kalos

Bi/Heteroromantic

Bioterrorist

Underboss

5'9" / 175.26 cm height

Bury me in the roses and rot; I'll come back thorned.

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TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Mar 1, 2022 16:42:49 GMT

[nospaces]

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A ROSE BY[break]
ANY NAME

would remain as sweet and thorned

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Cillian Quinn

[attr="class","bgtk-lyric2"]within Fiorelli Floristry

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"Hibiscus? 'Beauty in the ephemeral'-- an excellent choice." Elisabeth had imported several such seeds from Pacifidlog, in fact. "Did you know there are several varieties? The meaning of each colour is different." [break][break]

The blonde motioned for Cillian Quinn to follow her to the back of her cottage, where a greenhouse of several plants could be seen blossoming in abundance. Hibiscus flowers of pink, purple, and yellow came into view, before Elisabeth stopped at the last variety.[break][break]

"Tropical, I imagine, is the type that came to mind," Elisabeth said, indicating a blood-orange flower with trumpet-shaped blooms. "Red holds the classic meaning of love and passion, making it an excellent choice for a man you love."[break][break]

For someone who held little interest in romance herself, it always surprised Elisabeth how often she had to speak to it in her work. Was it ironic? Hm. An introspective question for another, less busy day.[break][break]

Turning to witness her customer's response to her professional assessment, the florist pressed her hands before herself, awaiting a reply patiently. "If you're looking for more than an assortment of a single flower, however, I'd recommend pairing them with other tropical blooms. Plumeria, dahlia, orchid... All would be acceptable pairings."

[attr="class","bgtk-bot"]

even in the ruins, flowers blossom and flourish

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Gavin Merlino

he/him

october 28th

circhester, galar

demisexual

the harbinger

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6'3" height

creatures of habit, carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes.

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TAG WITH @gavin

POSTED ON Mar 6, 2022 4:57:04 GMT

"Mm," comes the wordless agreement when she asks after his knowledge. The overwhelming amount of information in his books about flowers and their colours and their cultural significance was his reason for seeking the opinions of an expert.

"I was thinking red for the lilies, if it holds a similar meaning?" He hadn't mentioned the plan for lilies before, but now she knew. "What do the other colours mean? If I remember... yellow is usually for friendship, and white often for mourning... what of the purple hibiscus?"

It's beautiful, he thinks, the soft lavender petals blooming around a deep red center.

"I was thinking of something from Galar." There's no hesitation to betray the way his throat tightens around the word. He doesn't like to tell anyone where he's truly from, but now that Walsh knows the truth of it there's less threat of discovery. "Where I'm from. Something unusual, perhaps, to marry our two backgrounds."

Elisabeth Fiorelli

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Scarlet

Lisa Bortiforte

She/Her

August 30

Camphrier Town, Kalos

Bi/Heteroromantic

Bioterrorist

Underboss

5'9" / 175.26 cm height

Bury me in the roses and rot; I'll come back thorned.

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TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Mar 6, 2022 23:44:34 GMT

[nospaces]

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A ROSE BY[break]
ANY NAME

would remain as sweet and thorned

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Cillian Quinn

[attr="class","bgtk-lyric2"]within Fiorelli Floristry

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"Red lilies are an excellent alternative, certainly. A flower of devotion and rebirth -- and its sanguine petals, again, represent the fire of love and desire."[break][break] At the mention of the purple hibiscus, Elisabeth's expression shifted slightly, as if intrigued by whatever had drawn Cillian Quinn to look upon that particular blossom. [break][break]

"Lovely, aren't they?" she agreed easily, her voice soft with fondness as she indicated the blushing lavender petals. "These symbolize rare and unusual beauty. Some believe it represents a connection to the divine, though that is a more esoteric take." The blonde smiled. "It is a flower of knowledge and mystery, one that the right recipient would appreciate immensely."[break][break]

Flowers from Galar? To the florist, this was not an unusual request in the slightest. Elisabeth was used to learning bits and pieces about her clients' lives, without enough context to give them the meat they needed to become proper, dangerous intel. It was almost comical all the knowledge she had amassed in her little flower shop, which in the right hands could prove a frightening weapon. In Elisabeth's hands, even, for they were far from spotless and clean.[break][break]

Had Elisabeth known Gavin's identity, however, it was unlikely that he would have any reason to fear her. Rocket knew about enough skeletons in her closet, her basement, and buried in her garden for that matter to ensure theirs would be a result of mutual destruction.[break][break]

"You have many options when it comes to Galarian blooms. I would be remiss if I didn't mention their roses, but something tells me you are neglecting that option purposefully." If a man wanted a rose, he would normally say so openly. This was a more discerning client -- someone who wanted something customised to the exact tastes of his beau. Elisabeth enjoyed the challenge it posed. "Primroses, poppies, daffodils... Many traditional flowers flourish in the Galarian climate."[break][break]

So speaking, she guided Gavin to this corner of the greenhouse, patiently awaiting for any of the flowers to pique his interest.

[attr="class","bgtk-bot"]

even in the ruins, flowers blossom and flourish

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Gavin Merlino

he/him

october 28th

circhester, galar

demisexual

the harbinger

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6'3" height

creatures of habit, carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes.

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POSTED ON Mar 9, 2022 16:30:30 GMT

Tempest Quinn and Elisabeth Fiorelli like this

Devotion? He has it in spades for Tempest Quinn. Rebirth.

Yours, he had promised, and meant it.

The ghost of a smile plays along the edge of his lips before Gavin dips his head. Red lilies, yes. And the hibiscus, too. It had certainly been rare and unusual the way Temp had slipped past all his hurts to claim a place within his heart. He had thought Emma to be the one and only until a ghost had returned from his past, yet Temp had proven him wrong on both counts.

His faraway gaze focuses at her suggestions.

"Roses are easy," he shrugs. "I prefer a challenge."

In this, and so many other things.

"The primrose, I think. Yellow, to compliment the lilies." He gently runs his fingers beneath the blooms of a honeysuckle. "What flower is this? It looks familiar, but..."

Elisabeth Fiorelli

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Scarlet

Lisa Bortiforte

She/Her

August 30

Camphrier Town, Kalos

Bi/Heteroromantic

Bioterrorist

Underboss

5'9" / 175.26 cm height

Bury me in the roses and rot; I'll come back thorned.

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TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Mar 11, 2022 20:11:57 GMT

[nospaces]

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A ROSE BY[break]
ANY NAME

would remain as sweet and thorned

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Cillian Quinn

[attr="class","bgtk-lyric2"]within Fiorelli Floristry

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Each one of Cillian Quinn's preferences was carefully and meticulously filed away in Elisabeth's mind, the bouquet arranging itself in a vivid visual image as she nodded. "The honeysuckle?" the florist asked, leaning forward to inspect the flowers more closely. "A popular selection for Beautifly and Butterfree in particular, that one. And Combee, of course."[break][break]

Admittedly it was a less popular selection for bouquets, as the tubular flower found many more uses in her perfumes and teas -- if for its beguiling, sweet fragrance alone. Yet the flower thrived as a centrepiece in Elisabeth's wildflower arrangements, where the shrub's unique appearance lent a natural, bright beauty.[break][break]

"The honeysuckle is a flower with many interpretations." Elisabeth folded her hands before herself, clearing her throat as she began to recite her knowledge. "Despite its fragile appearance, it is a hardy bloom -- representing everlasting bonds and devotion. Most view it first and foremost, however, as a symbol of happiness."[break][break]

All things that Elisabeth struggled to believe in, truth be told, but she did not say so aloud. She had only to see the way that the flower had arrested all of Gavin's attention to know that this blossom was more than a passing fancy; there was a sense of calculation in his selections, and in the way his fingers brushed against the blooms in quiet thought.[break][break]

Briefly Elisabeth noted a rough scar on the back of his left hand, but said nothing.[break][break]

"Many believe the way the honeysuckle vine clings to its posts and walls embodies a lover's embrace," she continued, watching for her client's reaction. "Others believe its scent suggests attracting sweetness in all aspects of life. Others still think of its medicinal uses, and believe it represents good fortune and fidelity."[break][break]

She paused, taking a moment for her words to be heard and considered before finally finishing, "Ultimately, however, the true meaning of a flower is up to the gifter and their recipient. There is no replacement for true passion and feeling, in that way."

[attr="class","bgtk-bot"]

even in the ruins, flowers blossom and flourish

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Gavin Merlino

he/him

october 28th

circhester, galar

demisexual

the harbinger

underboss

6'3" height

creatures of habit, carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes.

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TAG WITH @gavin

POSTED ON Mar 15, 2022 18:10:24 GMT

Elisabeth Fiorelli likes this

So engrossed in thoughts of flowers is Gavin that the scarring on his left hand barely occurs to him. Ordinarily he wore gloves in public, but it hadn't seemed fitting to finger the delicate blooms with anything but bare skin.

A rare smile touches his lips as he listens to her explain the many meanings of the honeysuckle; through it all, he thinks of Tempest Quinn.

"Then nothing will do but to include it in the arrangement," he says simply, when she concludes. "I am sure he knows all about my devotion, and the rest. But it's a lovely plant with a pleasant scent, besides."

That's more than enough, he thinks; he can't picture it as well as Elisabeth herself, as he's no florist, but a glance around at the arrangements on display tells him enough of her skill to inspire confidence.

"I think I'm ready to place the order." A nod, half to himself. And when they're at the counter, he adds innocent as ever, "Ah, I also meant to inquire after the Foxglove order. Has it arrived?"

The smile he gives her now is devilish.

Elisabeth Fiorelli

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Scarlet

Lisa Bortiforte

She/Her

August 30

Camphrier Town, Kalos

Bi/Heteroromantic

Bioterrorist

Underboss

5'9" / 175.26 cm height

Bury me in the roses and rot; I'll come back thorned.

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TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Mar 16, 2022 8:11:13 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","bgtk"]

[attr="class","bgtk-top"]

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A ROSE BY[break]
ANY NAME

would remain as sweet and thorned

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[attr="class","bgtk-mid2"]

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Cillian Quinn

[attr="class","bgtk-lyric2"]within Fiorelli Floristry

[attr="class","bgtk-post"]

"Consider it done." Already Elisabeth had committed the flowers to memory -- mentally rearranging the bouquet so that the honeysuckle was prominently front and centre -- but, ever the professional, she wrote them down in a notepad nonetheless for future reference. Patting the pad lightly before placing it in her pocket, she then smiled and gestured for Cillian Quinn to follow her to the front counter.[break][break]

A simple enough order, and an enjoyable enough conversation leading up to it besides. All in all, this was an auspicious start to Elisabeth's day. This was the sort of client she liked best: thoughtful, intelligent, and particular. This would be a pleasant task to work upon.[break][break]

As Elisabeth began to prepare paperwork for checkout, however, her client's next words arrested her every movement:[break][break]

"Ah, I also meant to inquire after the Foxglove order. Has it arrived?"[break][break]

A code. This was not just any code, either, but one that belonged to some of the most dangerous members of the Team Rocket organisation. One requesting some of the most brutal poisons that Elisabeth was capable of procuring.[break][break]

Her crystal blue eyes snapped to attention, eyebrows lifting up with faint incredulity as she revisited this once-innocuous man. The image of the scar on his hand rushed back to her, and as she studied him now, another faint one was visible above one eyebrow -- missed before, but now seemingly impossible to overlook. [break][break]

Who was this man who spoke so pleasantly about love and flowers, but now grinned at her so fiendishly?[break][break]

First impressions, Elisabeth. When oh when will you ever learn not to trust them?[break][break]

All this transpired in her mind for but a brief moment, before the naked surprise on her face gave way to a calm professionalism. "Of course, sir. One moment while I retrieve it from the back." Dutifully she returned from the basement in a matter of minutes, a single vial buried in the centre of a tiny arrangement of purple, bell-like flowers. [break][break]

Toxapex venom. The less Elisabeth knew about how the man was using that, the better.[break][break]

"Will that be all for today?" she asked politely.

[attr="class","bgtk-bot"]

even in the ruins, flowers blossom and flourish

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played by

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Gavin Merlino

he/him

october 28th

circhester, galar

demisexual

the harbinger

underboss

6'3" height

creatures of habit, carrion flowers, growing from repeated crimes.

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TAG WITH @gavin

POSTED ON Mar 21, 2022 22:12:16 GMT

Who was he? Someone dangerous.

But for Elisabeth, he offers only the fading pleasantry of a smile as he tucks a lock of blond hair behind his ear, further exposing the ugly scar above his brow. He'd noticed the way her attention had flicked to it, however brief.

He nods when she bids him to wait, and so he does.

She's good at her act, he thinks. If I hadn't know better, I'd have never guessed her secrets. That was good, in Rocket.

A scarred fingertip ghosts along a bell-shaped flower.

"That's all," he assures her. "A pleasure, Elisabeth."

A swipe of his card to finalize the pavement, and he departs without another word.

Elisabeth Fiorelli

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played by

Scarlet

Lisa Bortiforte

She/Her

August 30

Camphrier Town, Kalos

Bi/Heteroromantic

Bioterrorist

Underboss

5'9" / 175.26 cm height

Bury me in the roses and rot; I'll come back thorned.

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4,416 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Mar 21, 2022 22:36:36 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","bgtk"]

[attr="class","bgtk-top"]

[attr="class","bgtk-top2"]

A ROSE BY[break]
ANY NAME

would remain as sweet and thorned

[attr="class","bgtk-mid"]

[attr="class","bgtk-mid2"]

[attr="class","bgtk-img"]

[attr="class","bgtk-left"]

Cillian Quinn

[attr="class","bgtk-lyric2"]within Fiorelli Floristry

[attr="class","bgtk-post"]

"That's all."[break][break]

A lie, of course. A man like that was bound to return to Elisabeth's life sooner rather than later, revealing precisely what shadows lurked behind his calm, practised smile.[break][break]

She mirrored it with a pleasant one of her own, her heartbeat quickening like a panicked Beautifly's wings as it fled a woodland predator. As loud as her pulse rang in her own ears, the shop itself was silent as she processed the payment. [break][break]

"May you have a pleasant day, Gavin." A pause inserted itself, before her crystal blue eyes sought his again. "I look forward to seeing you again."[break][break]

Not a challenge, quite. More a promise, unspoken in its swearing: Whatever danger you pose, I welcome it.[break][break]

Elisabeth hadn't crawled sobbing to Rocket because she lacked options. She had calmly walked in through the front door, letting it shut behind her as it engulfed her in its criminal deeds. If she was to be a monster, she had best become comfortable in their company.[break][break]

And of all the members of Rocket she had met to date, something told her Cillian Quinn was the most frightening one in their menagerie yet.

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even in the ruins, flowers blossom and flourish