There were actual hills remaining at Mauville Hills? Today seemed to host a bevy of new things. Remiel had only ever visited the massive apartment complex, and never known there was an expanse of land just behind it: the reason the complex had been called 'Mauville Hills' in the first place.

As for the strange CRYSTAL BLOOMS reported to have been found there, the admin had only read the reports and seen the photographed evidence. Now, with a window of time having finally appeared itself, he had enlisted jayden cross to provide him escort to a patch of this phenomenon.

Seconds after the youth sends his text, the dull stomps of a SHINY BLACK TYRANTRUM reveal the approaching presence of his admin. Before long, the prince appears over the top of a grassy hill to the south, sitting atop his prehistoric mount.

"I didn't know Mauville had this much free space within its borders," He says, patting the Tyrantrum to a stop and waiting as he lowers his head down before the prince hops off. "I figured I'd let BLACKJAW stretch his legs a little while."

The t-rex in question utters a deep, approving rumble before raising its head once more.

MISSION + jayden cross

☉

Remiel draws closer to the small cluster, taking out a camera that seems far too old for this digital age. In many aspects, some might call him a hipster. He's oblivious to the term, however.

"Quite interesting..." He remarks, dropping down to a crouch before tuning his camera's lens and snapping a photo. "Do you have any personal theories as to the nature of these crystals, Jayden?"

Meanwhile, a series of slow stomps brings his black Tyrantrum close to another cluster nearby. The large t-rex carefully lowers its snout to sniff at them with flaring nostrils, then pulls back almost immediately to utter a sneeze that sends birds flying out of nearby trees.

MISSION + jayden cross

☉

The royal turns over his shoulder to regard his black Tyrantrum after its loud sneeze. It shakes its head and exhales sharply out of its nose before grunting.

Turning back to the mysterious crystals, Remiel is tempted to reach down and try to touch it. He keeps himself from doing so, however, standing up straight before lining up another shot of the clusters nearby.

Snap.

"If it came from the Tree of Life... we shouldn't treat it as anything less than." Flashbacks of his time in that other world race through his mind briefly. Blood-soaked soil. Seemingly sentient bamboo. A GIANT SEVIPER that boggled the human mind at the sight of it.

Remiel lowers his camera and sighs. "I'll need to take a sample. Did you bring the kit?"

MISSION + jayden cross

☉

Remiel nods. That's all he's really willing to disclose, for now. He was never really the talkative type anyway. And a part of him is still debating whether the experience was more fantastical than it was traumatizing.

Accepting the kit with a polite 'thank you', the royal opens it before crouching back down and setting it on the ground beside him. He slips a pair of gloves on as he turns to regard Jayden with his set of nonchalant cobalt hues once more.

"I might be here a while, so you're free to go, if you'd like." He expresses, flexing his fingers within the first glove. "Thank you for bringing me here. I owe you a drink." And, finally, that nonchalance parts with a smile.

MISSION + jayden cross

☉

Despite what might otherwise be perceived as an attempt at casual levity, the energy between them settles naturally back into the professional. Remiel nods, again, and turns back to his tools. "Until next time."

Blackjaw, himself, bids Jayden farewell with a light stomp of his massive foot and a dog-like shake of his head. It then wanders away, busying itself with exploration of the terrain.

Left alone in solitude of Mauville Hills now, the former archaeologist gets to work on carefully detaching a few crystal buds and taking them back to his study.

FIN

MISSION + jayden cross

☉