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Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jul 19, 2022 23:15:53 GMT

Elisabeth Fiorelli and ana fell like this

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Step 1: Acquire Brookies. Step 2: Bring Brookies to your cool and good friend ana fell 's workspace. Step 3: Profit! It was all such a simple, simple plan. And all it took was a bit of creative question asking and some tactical Google being deployed. How could this possibly go wrong?[break][break]

Well, for starters, Isaac didn't account for Cygne working in grandma's fairytale hut. When she said a floristry in Petalburg (which was incredibly specific, by the way. Those shits were more common in Petalburg than Sawsbuck Coffees in Slateport), Isaac expected the usual dealio. Little building, greenhouse nestled behind it, cute girls in flower aprons manning the joint. Instead, he was staring down a literal thatched-roof cottage tucked right by the Petalburg Woods. Isaac was starting to wonder if he was delivering baked goods or if he was becoming them.[break][break]

But, hell, he'd be lying if he said he didn't find it kinda peaceful. Beautiful, even. Maybe that was why Cygne was in such a good mood all the time. She worked in a fairytale cottage, had the scents of a fresh bakery for an alarm clock, and could medicate anything doesn't didn't solve with a shitton of cheap vodka. Clearly, she knew a thing or two about the good life.[break][break]

Perhaps fittingly for their choice of location, Sectonia was Isaac's escort for the day. She excitedly flitted too and fro, ooh-ing and aah-ing at all of the flowers and cheerfully buzzing at her fellow bug types as they tended to them. The last time she saw this many powers, she was but a little Combee. Now she was a Vespiquen, and she'd be lying if she said she didn't dream of having such a domain one day. Perhaps when her trainer retired from the life of a wandering layabout. Such a shame.[break][break]

Yet something was off as Isaac stepped into the establishment. His Cygne-sense (which had become surprisingly acutely developed over the past few weeks, and was usually heralded by one of the two breaking something) wasn't tingling. Oh well. That was okay. He could bum around and pretend to be a legitimate customer until it was time to slip her those delicious, delicious on-shift snacks. Maybe he'd even make good on his earlier thoughts and pick up some dahlias. His room could use some color, especially after all the time he spent monkey-proofing it.[break][break]

He headed to the counter, lowkey scouting out the establishment all the while. It was peaceful here. Too peaceful. But he wouldn't let that make his winning smile drop. "Good afternoon! I was told I could find the best flowers in Petalburg here?" he asked.[break][break]

Smooth.

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]444 WORDS / Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

[newclass=.skullhover]width:420px;-webkit-filter: grayscale(100%);filter: grayscale(100%);-webkit-transition:all 1s ease;transition:all 1s ease;-webkit-transition-delay:0.1s;[/newclass]
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[newclass=.skullbody b]color:#d9b800;[/newclass]
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[newclass=.skullcredits]width:380px;font-family:roboto;font-size:12px;text-align:center;[/newclass]

[googlefont=Oswald]
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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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4,395 posts

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part of

TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Jul 19, 2022 23:55:27 GMT

ana fell likes this

[attr=class,elisafont]
[googlefont=Meddon]

La Vie en Rose

[break][break]

[break]

Summer sunlight cascaded in through the greenhouse windows as Elisabeth pruned the leaves of a lady's slipper orchid, her attention so wholly focused upon the flower that, for a moment, the new arrival in her little shop went completely unnoticed. Consumed like this, the blonde's intense concentration revealed the depths of cold calculation in her mind -- its sheer ambition something that had set her apart from the other florists in the region.

It was her Roselia, Primrose, who first noticed Isaac Merlo and hopped gracefully to the right of the greenhouse to approach the front door. The sight of the Vespiquen, however, caused the Grass-type's flowery arms to flail in alarm, petals whizzing overhead like a storm cloud as she called out loudly for her mistress's attention.

"Be quiet, Prim," came a faint hiss of annoyance as Elisabeth wiped her hands on her skirt. "Can't you see that I'm busy? Goodness, you can be so needy."

Then as Elisabeth turned around, she too jumped a bit at the sight of the Vespiquen: not because she wasn't fond of the regal bee Pokemon, but because there had been an alarming amount of Combee infestations in the Petalburg Woods lately.

Oh Arceus, no. Not again. How many hives would Elisabeth have to set fire to at this rate?

Then as Isaac spoke, the tension in Elisabeth's shoulders relaxed, and her irate expression melted into the mask of cool, calm composure she reserved for her clientele. This was not an invasion, but a typical sales call.

No need for alarm, then. So pleasantries it was.

"Ah, my apologies," she said smoothly, stepping forward with all the grace of someone who hadn't looked as if she had planned to set his Vespiquen on fire on sight mere seconds earlier. "Welcome to Fiorelli Floristry. What can I do for you?"

Primrose, meanwhile, glowered at the Vespiquen in warning as if to say, Don't you dare try anything.

[break]

Social ✿ Outfit + Hairstyle ✿ Isaac Merlo

[break]

[newclass=".elisafont b"]color: #7bb661;[/newclass]

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Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 3:57:07 GMT

Elisabeth Fiorelli likes this

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Poor Sectonia did not expect to be the center of attention like this. At the Roselia's despair, her compound eyes widened in shock. She gestured with her palms out to try and coax the Roselia's alarm down, but it was too late. No amount of pleading buzzes would stop the grass type's caterwauling.[break][break]

Even as Isaac and the store owner slipped into a more natural conversation, a tension hovered in the air between the flower and the bee. Ironic, wasn't it? The two were conceptually the best of friends, and yet here they were regarding one another with such tension. Sectonia returned the Roselia's glower with a confused head tilt and a pleading chirrup. What was she even being accused of?[break][break]

Isaac gave the Vespiquen a gentle pat on the shoulder to ease her tensions, then returned his focus to the woman before him. She was regal. Graceful. Wearing the practiced mask of a truly dignified lady. Yep. This was definitely some sort of fairy queen who was selling flowers from another realm as a side hustle. Isaac almost couldn't believe that this was the woman he'd tried to pull a fast one on with the old thermometer to the lightbulb trick. Even moreso, he couldn't believe that it had worked.[break][break]

With her stopping by the entrance like this, Isaac realized his chances of getting further into the building and scouting for Cygne were limited. That meant his first priority was to get himself more deeply situated. Who knows? Maybe she was stocking shelves in the back or something. With how iron her thumb was, being up here on counter duty might've been considered too hazardous to the plants.[break][break]

"I was thinking of checking out your dahlias. But a friend had told me that they come in so many different varieties, so I have no idea which ones I'd even want," he admitted. The best lies were floated on a sea of half-truths. "Could you bring me to your selection, please?"[break][break]

The first piece had been moved along the chessboard. Your move, fairy queen.

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]344 WORDS / Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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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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4,395 posts

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TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 4:26:56 GMT

BARNABY FINCH likes this

[attr=class,elisafont]
[googlefont=Meddon]

La Vie en Rose

[break][break]

[break]

"Dahlias?" she repeated with a curious cant of her head. "You've picked an opportune time. They're blooming in abundance this time of year."

Like the very fairy queen he had mentally accused her of being, she turned towards the backdoor of her cottage with a swish of her skirts, a hand beckoning for him to follow. It hadn't occurred to her in the slightest that his goal was to see more of the interior of the cottage; the blossoms he had specified were outdoors, and so outdoors they went.

Queen's pawn moves two spaces forward.

The gardens outside of Fiorelli Floristry were exceptionally well-tended, watered by her Goodra's AQUA TAIL and pollinated by the quiet presence of her Butterfree and Vivillon. It stretched towards the outskirts of the woods, abundant with lush, verdant life.

"Here we are, then. Dahlias. Flowers of inner strength that bloom even in adversity."

Elisabeth navigated her way through the dirt paths with ease, stopping at last before a large plot of bright, gorgeous dahlias of every possible hue: red, yellow, pink, white, blue, and black. The curiously flat and smooth petals of the blossoms arranged themselves neatly, unfurling in a pleasing, uniform symmetry.

"Some also see them as flowers of commitment and honesty," she continued, turning to Isaac Merlo. "Some use them to show a lifelong commitment to another person."

Primrose the Roselia had followed with a haughty toss of her head, petals shedding with her every movement as she fixed a wary gaze on the poor Vespiquen. Elisabeth stifled a faint laugh, turning to Isaac Merlo apologetically. "You'll have to forgive her. We have had an influx of Combee infestations lately. I am certain your Vespiquen has no intention of attacking our garden in a swarm."

Memories of fending off such a swarm with BARNABY FINCH came and went, the ordeal thankfully now far in the distant past.

"Which friend mentioned us, by the by?" she asked conversationally. "It is always good to know one's referrals."

[break]

Social ✿ Outfit + Hairstyle ✿ Isaac Merlo

[break]

[newclass=".elisafont b"]color: #7bb661;[/newclass]

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Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 5:12:48 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Outside stock. Well played, lady. Well played. Still, at least Isaac could do a bit of peeking on the way to the backdoor. The cottage sure looked like a cottage! Maybe deeper inside was, like, some kind of ultra-secret plant lab where diehard herbomaniacs were working on building a better flower. But more likely, it was the same cozy cottage as the outside loop Isaac was being lead along.[break][break]

Still no sign of Cygne, though. And chances of her being in the garden were slim. Curses.[break][break]

That said, the garden was incredible. Isaac's jaw dropped visibly as he beheld it. Seriously? This wasn't fair. This couldn't be a real place. The entirety of Petalburg paled in comparison to the sheer gorgeousness on display here. There were enough flowery scents to almost leave Isaac woozy, but the sound of splashing water and droning wings helped keep him grounded. Suddenly, he understood how lost children got lost on the realm of the fey, never to return.[break][break]

Sectonia was practically vibrating with excitement. Were it not for the regular glares Roselia was fixating on her, she would've been zooming up and down the garden to check all of the blooms out. Instead, she restrained herself, even as she constantly craned her neck to look at new flowers she hadn't seen before.[break][break]

The dahlias in particular were everything Cygne said they were. Some looked almost like spheres of color. Others fanned out into wide, traditional shapes. Monocolor, two-tone, warm colors, cool colors, rich and deep, soft pastel. It was almost hard to believe that they were all the same flower. As a guy who'd never thought about flowers for more than five seconds in his life before, Isaac found himself stunned. "You've gotta have thousands of the things," he said in a state of disbelief. "That sure as heck sounds like commitment to me."[break][break]

He didn't expect them to mean that, of course. Heck, he didn't expect any of the flowers to have such an in depth meaning. Maybe that was Cygne liked them so much. Maybe in a life as tempestuous as hers, she just wanted something she could count on. Yeah, he understood that feeling.[break][break]

Though, lifelong commitment? "Huh. I always figured if anything, that'd be roses," Isaac said. Just then, Sectonia perked up. How had she gone this far and not even seen any roses? She buzzed excitably at the mere suggestion.[break][break]

Wait. There was oppprtunity here.[break][break]

"Y'know, while I check these out, could someone help show Sectonia to the roses? I think I got her excited by mentioning them," Isaac said. Now the king's knight was doing that weird offbeat knight jumpy thing. Surely, if another employee was needed, there was a chance of Cygne being called on. "Don't worry, she'll behave. I know the Combee have been acting up lately, but Sectonia's been nothing but a sweetheart since I caught her. A friend of mine says they're ticked off because of some weird kinda energy mumbo-jumbo. Whatever it is, I doubt there's any in her system now." [break][break]

Shit. Was he being asked who referred him here? This was dangerous. But maybe honesty was the best policy. Operation: Brookie was still a go, he'd just have to be a bit more careful about how he'd deliver the goods. "She actually works here," Isaac said, throwing his caution to the wind. "ana fell, to be specific."

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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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.

awards

4,395 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 5:34:06 GMT

ana fell likes this

[attr=class,elisafont]
[googlefont=Meddon]

La Vie en Rose

[break][break]

[break]

"Of course," Elisabeth replied easily, happy to accommodate. "And you needn't apologize. I am, generally, fond of Vespiquen myself."

With a graceful turn of her head, she called over the flowers, "Petunia dear, can you please guide our dear guest to the roses?"

What Isaac Merlo didn't realize was that the staff of Fiorelli Floristry was not typical in any sense of the word. It, in fact, only had two human employees.

A blushing pink Vivillon fluttered over, compound eyes registering the regal Vespiquen with a pleasant chirp before winging back towards the briar roses, not terribly distant from where Elisabeth and Isaac were currently standing.

"Roses are more romantic in nature. Tokens of love and beauty, essentially, although it changes depending on their colour and how many you are giving," she explained, kneeling down to better examine the dahlias at her feet. Two fingers gently took the stem of one red dahlia in hand, its sanguine petals dazzling. "It's a different meaning than perseverance, to be certain."

And then Isaac did something most unexpected. He invoked the name of ana fell. Elisabeth's head lifted, and an eyebrow lifted with it. Like a rook swerving across the checkboard to suddenly deny an advance on one's queen, the florist asked him, "Oh? You are both friends, I take it?"

The subtle infusion of intensity in the question was, perhaps, only noticeable for how very mild her tone had been before this point.

There were precious few people in Hoenn that Elisabeth felt protective of, and her part-timer was one of them. Something had been occupying her as of late, although the source still eluded Elisabeth entirely.

Despite her polite space and distance, she couldn't help herself from being... well, nosy.

[break]

Social ✿ Outfit + Hairstyle ✿ Isaac Merlo

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[newclass=".elisafont b"]color: #7bb661;[/newclass]

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 13:11:47 GMT

Elisabeth Fiorelli and ana fell like this

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]The queen's rook had castled, and now all of the pieces on her board had been taken off and replaced with little animal figurines. Isaac was starting to remember that he had no idea how chess worked.[break][break]

Still, his offer was only half tactical maneuver. Sectonia genuinely had wanted to see the roses, and she clasped her hands together in excitement as a Vivillon showed up to accommodate. Her buzzes and chirrups sounded almost like oohs and aahs as she examined the briar roses firsthand. That light pink color was such a delight! And it matched the Vivillon's wings oh so well. While she may not have been as dependent on nectar as she was while a Combee, she still bad so much love in her heart for the botanical world.[break][break]

"Huh. That many meanings? Jeez, sounds like there's an entire language for them," Isaac said, not even realizing how right he was. Maybe that'd be another thing to break out the Stealth Google for later. Or, hell, he could actually learn something directly for a change. It could be a useful cipher on the job, or a fun party trick to break out next time he was whisked away to dinner.[break][break]

And then the tone changed. There was something more intense to the fairy queen's tone now. It wasn't much, but it was there, a single sharp thorn on the rose's stem. Her line of questioning had gotten a little redundant too. Didn't he just say they were friends? Though he supposed anyone could say that to try and get close to an employee in a place where they couldn't back off.[break][break]

Wait. Were there people trying to give Cygne crap at work? A bit of concern knit in Isaac's brow as he tried to figure out if anyone needed to get punched.[break][break]

But that'd wait for later. For now he'd just keep his warm smile raised. "That we are," he said. "If she's mentioned an Isaac, that's me. Nice to meet you."

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

[/quote]

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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.

awards

4,395 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 16:17:47 GMT

ana fell likes this

[attr=class,elisafont]
[googlefont=Meddon]

La Vie en Rose

[break][break]

[break]

"She hasn't," came the brusque answer, before Elisabeth's better graces could stop it from being voiced so bluntly aloud. "Mentioned you, that is." Her questions were redundant, but her own thoughts found no such redundancy in them: for there were friends, and there were friends.

How many 'friends' did Cygne have, actually? Come to think of it, Elisabeth had never truly asked. It had been enough to know the two shared an intimate bond of friendship; Elisabeth had never thought to ask where her part-timer spent her off-work hours. Why was it that, until now, she had been blissfully unaware of her own ignorance about Cygne's life?

Who was this Isaac Merlo person? Was ana fell maybe, just maybe, dating him? If so, why wouldn't she have told Elisabeth such a thing? The stunning hypocrisy in her frustration would have been apparent to anyone who knew Elisabeth, for she would rather die than discuss such matters of her own life aloud.

She eyed Isaac thoughtfully, her emerald eyes appraising him up and down as she raised herself once more from the ground, facing him from her full height. The man was a good five inches shorter than her or so, making her gaze more than just a tad bit imposing to face down.

Then she offered the faintest hint of warmth in her smile as she extended a hand politely in greeting.

"Well. At any rate, we are meeting now, are we not? Elisabeth Fiorelli, Cygne's boss and friend. A singular pleasure."

Unlike Isaac, however, Elisabeth had been playing chess since childhood with her father in Kalos.

And as such, her mind was forever calculating moves and moves and moves ahead.

[break]

Social ✿ Outfit + Hairstyle ✿ Isaac Merlo

[break]

[newclass=".elisafont b"]color: #7bb661;[/newclass]

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 16:52:19 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]No mention, huh? Damn. That inexplicably stung. Not that Isaac had any reason to expect it or anything. Work was work, after all, and even if it wasn't it isn't like Isaac expected Cygne to be shouting his name from the mointaintops or anything like that. Clearly, he was just mentally balancing his scoreboard with the fairy queen in this little game of chess.[break][break]

This very tall fairy queen. Wow. Okay, if this was chess boxing, than Isaac and his much shorter wingspan would have been in trouble. Under the intensity of her gaze, Isaac started to wonder if she truly was going to reveal the cottage's secret cauldron and bake him into a pie. But if he could stare down the mythical Mew-Man, he could stare anything down! He kept his eye contact locked on Elisabeth's, never letting the confident gleam in his eyes or the winning smile on his face waver.[break][break]

King's hand takes queen's hand for a firm yet respectable handshake. Matching her strength would be key; only an idiot crushed someone's hand like King Kong. En passant, or something like that. Isaac didn't know. He didn't play chess. He tried playing with Watson once and Watson just kept eating the pieces while he wasn't looking. It was a good strategy. Maybe a little too good.[break][break]

Part of him wanted to just ask if Cygne was in today. Another part of him knew that wearing his intentions on his sleeve like that was admitting defeat. Besides, he wasn't about to get his on-shift care package confiscated by a freaking dryad. "Do you think the yellow and the blue dahlias would complement each other well?" he asked, turning his gaze back to the flowers after the appropriate greeting had been made. "I figure with all the beautiful ones you guys have here, it'd be a shame to just stop at one color, y'know?"[break][break]

Breaking news! A pawn exists somewhere!

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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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.

awards

4,395 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 17:02:36 GMT

[attr=class,elisafont]
[googlefont=Meddon]

La Vie en Rose

[break][break]

[break]

"Yellow and blue dahlias, hm?" Yellow to match blonde hair, blue to match a certain part-timer's brilliant sapphire eyes. The intensity of Elisabeth's stare bored down into his, seeing if he might give her some indication that her assumption was correct. "Blue dahlias are for those making positive changes in their life, while yellow dahlias represent joy. So to give someone such a bouquet is to offer them joyful change, I think."

What might such a message mean in the context of one ana fell?

Although Elisabeth was not, precisely, a witch in the woods, the metaphor was not an entirely inaccurate one. She hadn't imagined throwing Isaac Merlo into a bubbling cauldron, but she did very much wish to pin him in an Ariados's gossamer strings so that she could investigate how he had infiltrated her little web of friendships.

It made for, admittedly, a rather intimidating demeanor for all her seeming decorum.

He seemed a bit intimidated at least, and despite herself Elisabeth had no desire to change this dynamic between them. She could be slightly spiteful in that way.

"Do you have a recipient for such a lovely bouquet in mind?"

Slowly but surely, she methodically arranged her pawns into position, preparing for an eventual strike on the unsuspecting king.

[break]

Social ✿ Outfit + Hairstyle ✿ Isaac Merlo

[break]

[newclass=".elisafont b"]color: #7bb661;[/newclass]

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo

POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 17:18:00 GMT

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]Oh no. Did he say something stupid in flower language? Elisabeth's eyes were boring into his skull as if they were trying to dissect his each and every thought. Meanwhile, all the poor guy wanted was a nice little bit of visial punch added to his dreary Rocket sub room. It couldn't be all black and red, all the time![break][break]

But why blue and yellow? Maybe they reminded him of a certain rambunctious croc?[break][break]

Elisabeth's clarification helped him realize what she had been thinking, at least. The first was that blue and yellow signified joyful change. Good. Honestly, the last month had been a joyful change for Isaac. Don't get him wrong! There was chaos. And struggle. And even danger. But so far, the good had outweighed the bad on nearly every front. His collection of Pokemon had near quadrupled in size. His money woes were becoming a thing of the past. And he'd met so many friends that he'd do nearly anything for. "Arceus knows we could all use some of that," he said, hoping that even more of these joyful changes would come his way in the future. [break][break]

But, a bouquet? When'd he say that? What was Elisabeth getting at here? "Actually, I was thinking of buying a few pots of them," Isaac admitted. "Color up my life some, y'know? Sure, it's more elbow grease than picking up a bouquet, but this way I can make sure it lasts, too. And hey, maybe if I can figure out how to grow 'em, I can help give Cyg some tips, too. Get some specks of green on that iron thumb."[break][break]

The bad news, he wasn't giving her a bouquet. The good news, he was literally taking a part of her life and incorporating it into his own. Isaac had just done that thing where one checker hops over all the other checkers at once. To himself. Without even realizing.[break][break]

Arceus help this boy, for Elisabeth sure wouldn't.

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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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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POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 17:26:59 GMT

[attr=class,elisafont]
[googlefont=Meddon]

La Vie en Rose

[break][break]

[break]

Ah. So she was several moves ahead of him, then.

The bishop that had begun to rear its head to attack tiptoed back into line, leaving the floundering knight to live another day.

"I must have misheard you, apologies. Most who come here want a bouquet of some kind." Once more, she fixed him with a winsome smile. Although her first instinct was relief -- for if he was courting ana fell and she had not been informed, it would have disappointed Elisabeth terribly -- her second instinct was, oddly, a strange sense of offense.

Why wasn't he dating Cygne? Was this fool mistakenly under the impression that he was too good for her dear friend?

Just as suddenly, the bishop slammed back on the board and struck on the offensive: "Why, that sounds perfectly charming. What do you do for a living, may I ask?"

Her hot-and-cold reception of the poor man was entirely nonsensical as a reaction, something born from her own protective instincts towards one of the few people that Elisabeth genuinely and truly wished to shield from any and all unpleasantness in the world.

And the joke about her iron thumb provoked that maternal instinct, resulting in the briefest narrowing of her eyes. As ever, her expression remained perfectly pleasant. Neutral.

"As it happens, Cygne has done exceptionally here. I am beyond thrilled with her contributions to my flower shop."

It was her sharp gaze that betrayed otherwise.

[break]

Social ✿ Outfit + Hairstyle ✿ Isaac Merlo

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[newclass=".elisafont b"]color: #7bb661;[/newclass]

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Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

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POSTED ON Jul 20, 2022 18:11:08 GMT

Jul 20, 2022 17:18:00 GMT Isaac Merlo said:

[nospaces]

[attr="class","skullhover"]

[attr="class","skullimg"]

[attr="class","skulltitle"]導通抵抗

[attr="class","skulloverlap"]BUT HOLD YOUR BREATH, GUESS WHO'S RUNNING THE SHOW?

[attr="class","skullbody"]"Nah, I get it," Isaac said. "With how incredible these look, I can see why most people leave here with at least one big ol' bouquet." If he wasn't already here on a DIY mission (okay, two DIY missions. Those brookies were fresh, damnit!), even he would've been tempted to just buy one to liven up his room for a few days.[break][break]

And then the mood changed. And changed again. And changed again. What was with this woman? Despite her face never changing expression, Isaac felt like he was playing red light green light with how often the intensity of her gaze changed. Isaac couldn't tell if she was going to give him free flowers or plant his ass in the ground to grow the next set.[break][break]

That may've depended on his answer to the next question. If he said he was a "sandwich artist," he was probably fucked. And outside of that, what the hell would he call his job prospect? Wandering problem fixer? Sure, that was how he'd spent the last 4 years, but it was basically vagrancy with extra steps. Not the right thing to say after wandering into a scene from Pride and Extreme Prejudice.[break][break]

He did have the nuclear option. It wounded his pride so deeply to admit it to a stranger, but . . .[break][break]

"Well, I'm hoping to break into acting," he admitted. That slight flush of red to his ears was a dead giveaway that he was being honest here. "Who knows? Maybe when the region's less on fire, it'll be the perfect time to try for my big break." A giant evil meteor from outer space was kind of a buzzkill, unfortunately. Not exactly the best time for getting into theaters. But after . . .[break][break]

Oh. Something finally made the queen's eyes narrow. Clearly, she was very protective of her loyal subjects. Isaac smkles bemusedly as she pounced on the inside joke like an agitated Sprigatito. "Oh, trust me, you don't gotta tell me twice. Cyg's a lifesaver, and we're both real lucky to know her," he said. There was that nickname again, given so casually. "It's just a little running joke we've got, especially because she's always such a gearhead when it comes to machines. I figure maybe if I can pick up some pointers, we can both fumble through trying to get some plants growing together."

[break]

[attr="class","skullinfo"]MOBILE POST / Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","skullcredits"]TAIKO!

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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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4,395 posts

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TAG WITH @elisabeth

POSTED ON Jul 21, 2022 1:24:46 GMT

[attr=class,elisafont]
[googlefont=Meddon]

La Vie en Rose

[break][break]

[break]

An actor? Really. Elisabeth resisted the urge to roll her eyes, something in the man's earnest admission causing even her prickly heart to relent in its onslaught of internal criticism.

After all, ana fell herself held the movie industry in great esteem. The woman had ambitions to write horror films, and well, if Elisabeth was to support that, why not acting, too?

Although she had grave concerns about what an actor might make financially, hypothetically, if he were to, again hypothetically, date another person with ambitions in the world of cinema.

Hypothetically.

And then Isaac Merlo opened his mouth, and something most unexpected happened for the second time today.

Isaac smiled in the face of her onslaught of questions, and spoke of Cygne with such utter sweetness and familiarity that it took Elisabeth aback for a moment. Cygne's nickname. How she was a 'gearhead'. An endearingly quaint desire to plant flowers with her.

"You speak of her quite fondly." This time, there was no bite to the words as Elisabeth watched Isaac Merlo prattle on about the private joke between him and Cyg; the florist crossed her arms, listening intently. "You want to grow plants together? Did you need space to garden?"

...What maneuvers was she enacting again? Elisabeth was beginning to feel like she'd forgotten the placement of pieces on her proverbial chessboard, the man in front of her now appearing far less like a foe and more like an ordinary person who had withstood the weight of her interrogation... surprisingly well.

When did she start wanting to help him, exactly?

What sorcery was this?

[break]

Social ✿ Outfit + Hairstyle ✿ Isaac Merlo

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[newclass=".elisafont b"]color: #7bb661;[/newclass]

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played by

Wanderer

The Liberator

he/him/his

April 10

Lavaridge Town

Figuring it Out

Penitent

Renegade

949 height

Turned on my friends and brought them pain. I have no right to show I can change. But I gotta try!

awards

4,322 posts

DOLLARS

part of

TAG WITH @isaacmerlo