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It wasn't every day that a Shaymin descended from the heavens and graced a man with its ethereal presence. Caleb looked up from his phone to see one such legendary Pokemon frolicking in the flower fields next to him, like some kind of mysterious omen. He blinked several times, then rubbed his eyes just to be sure. Caleb had been working far too many all-nighters these days, preparing for the impending apocalypse and the League's plan to remedy it, so he half-suspected he might be hallucinating.[break][break]
Zero cracked open a crimson eye, still curled up next to Caleb on the park bench, and cocked his head curiously, watching the Shaymin. The ghostly Hisuian Zorua didn't seem overly concerned about the other Pokémon, but he didn't resume his nap, either. Either way, it confirmed for Caleb that he wasn't going insane from lack of sleep, after all. He took a sip of the coffee cup he'd been holding, only to find that it was tragically empty. Guess it was time for a refill.[break][break]
He'd stopped by the Route 117 Daycare to follow up about a break-in they'd experienced not long ago, but when he'd finished that conversation, he'd stopped briefly in the park nearby to check his phone. The emails never stopped these days, an endless stream of mission briefings and preparations. He knew it wasn't Tam Fawley's fault, but he was desperately in need of a break. It was nice to just sit for a second, catch his breath, and get some fresh air.[break][break]
"Hey," he called out idly to the Shaymin. "You belong to anybody?"

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[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD SNEASEL APPEARED!

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[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD FORRETRESS APPEARED!

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After thumbing a quick message to the waiting egg recipients, ensuring blame would not fall upon Nautica's shoulders, Angelo takes an offhanded glance back the way he'd come. He catches sight of a dark, lean shape, skulking along the edge of the tall fence that enclosed the perimeter of the daycare. 

A Sneasel was on the prowl. 

Tucking his phone into his jacket pocket, he replaces occupancy of his palm with a pokéball, entrusting Sprout to its own devices while he takes aim at the opportunist hunter. 

They could consider ridding the area of potential egg poachers a free service – maybe.  

Sailing through the air, Sprout meanwhile lands in the tall patch of grass and flowers with a cheerful skip. There wasn't a lot of grass to take advantage of back on the boat Angelo calls home, so it takes full advantage of the opportunity. 

After a merry frolic, it ends up rolling in front of a bench where a man sits. Ears perking as they're spoken to, the mythical creature finishes wiggling about on its back with grass entangled in its fur, sitting up. 

Sprout yips in response.

“Did you get that?”

Angelo's voice appears behind the man. There's a harmlessly wry curve to his lips as he approaches the bench, hands resting on the rough wood of the backrest in a casual lean. 

“Or do you think you'll need a translation?”

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The figure - like the Shaymin - seemed to manifest out of nowhere. Caleb leaned back against the bench and looked up, meeting the other man's gaze from below with his dark blue one. The man had a smile so charming Caleb felt suddenly self-conscious about his tired, haphazard appearance. He abruptly straightened up, twisting around in his seat so that he was directly facing the newcomer.[break][break]
"Nope, I think the meaning's crystal clear," Caleb replied, flashing his own version of a wry grin.[break][break]
Just then, Zero perked up, expression alert. A wild, somewhat disgruntled-looking Forretress was floating directly into the path of the Shaymin's merry frolicking. The Zorua disappeared noiselessly, and reappeared directly in front of the armored bug. In defense of the Shaymin - who, Caleb knew, probably didn't need much defending - he slashed out with a SHADOW CLAW. Caleb tossed a Pokeball to ensure a more raucous fight didn't break out. It amused Caleb that Zero seemed to want to make friends with the Shaymin by fighting on its behalf. Or perhaps he was just showing off?[break][break]
Caleb held out his hand to the other man, in offering of a handshake. "Name's Caleb. Nice to meet you."

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[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD OBSTAGOON APPEARED!

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[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD VULLABY APPEARED!

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If Angelo is amused by the sudden straightening-up of the dishevelled man as he attempts to crack a light-hearted comeback, it's indiscernible. Hidden beneath a casual smile. 

“Angelo. And same.”

Reaching forward, he meets Caleb Harcourt's hand half way for a strong, brief shake. It's replaced by the pilot hopping over the back of the bench with a easy spring, plopping himself next to the stranger when the Zorua vacates the spot.

“Hope you're open to conversations with strangers,” he says after the fact that he's already made himself comfortable, resting an elbow on the backrest. “I've got some time to kill. Are you waiting on the daycare, too?”

His Shaymin meanwhile watches as the Zorua uses a SHADOW CLAW with focused intrigue. 

Alerted by the sound of battle the large, bulky shape of an Obstagoon stomps out from the tree line and begins to approach the two smaller pokémon in the grass. 

Bouncing forward in front of the Zorua before it can attempt anything, Shaymin lets out a yip. Fronds of GRASS KNOT winding around the Obstagoon's feet as it charges. 

Angelo tosses a pokeball to save the creature from breaking its nose on the ground. 

Turning back towards its new acquaintance, Sprout tilts its chin up at the Zorua, big eyes crinkling with the sparkle of competitiveness. 

Now that was definitely an attempt to show off.

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angelo vestri's grip was firm and confident, and Caleb felt himself automatically respond in kind. When the other man hopped deftly over the bench and slid right into the seat next to Caleb in one fluid motion, the Ranger couldn't help but feel impressed - such acrobatics might normally feel ostentatious, but Angelo somehow made it seem natural, like it wasn't anything special - it was just how he moved.[break][break]
Damn, Caleb thought, he's kind of cool.[break][break]
"Actually just finished up with them," Caleb answered, in regards to the Daycare. "Had to drop off some paperwork. Mission wrap-up. Helped them out with a break-in not too long ago. I just sat down here to...take a break, I guess?" He shrugged, trying not to look sheepish about his self-approved down time. "Us Rangers have been working long shifts lately. A lot going on in the region, you know?" Caleb was pretty sure Angelo wasn't also a Ranger; he certainly didn't have the right uniform for it.[break][break]
"What about you? Here for work or just to drop off a Pokémon?" He didn't want to outright ask Angelo what he did for a living; prying into a stranger's life wasn't exactly something Caleb made a habit of. But, if Angelo was as charismatic as he seemed, he'd likely end up telling Caleb all about himself. Normally this would annoy Caleb, but Angelo seemed charming as hell.[break][break]
Zero opened his mouth to grin at the Shaymin, clearly pleased about their impromptu contest. Looking around for another Pokemon to attack, the ghostly little Zorua spotted a Vullaby preening on a bush nearby. This time, his whole body seemed to darken, and when he swiped his paw at the vulture Pokémon, a haunting NIGHT DAZE fell upon it. It squawked, alarmed, unable to see within the blanket of temporary darkness that had descended.[break][break]
Caleb looked over, alerted by the sudden distressed cawing. He threw a Pokeball to silence the bird, and cocked his head at Zero, expression slightly irritated. I'm trying to hold a conversation here, his blue eyes seemed to communicate. Now it was Zero's turn to look slightly sheepish.[break][break]
But as soon as Caleb turned back to Angelo, the Zorua immediately looked to the Shaymin with a new type of grin - well, how did I do?[break]

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[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD PANGORO APPEARED!

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[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD LEAVANNY APPEARED!

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“So I've heard,” comes a smooth drawl, sarcasm like honey running through milk. After all, 'a lot going on in the region' was an understatement, to say the least. 

He detects the slightest uncertainty in Caleb's voice, as if the Ranger was trying to justify his reasons for taking a rest on the clock to him.

The pilot chuckles. “Don't worry, your unauthorised break is safe with me.”

Being on friendly terms with Laurence Anderson or not, Angelo was no snitch. At least, not when he didn't have anything to gain from it. Let the man put his feet up. 

“Work. There's a family of Chewtle eggs that are looking to be escorted to their new home at a conservation. They're just being gathered up now.” Angelo answers casually, going with the ebb and flow of the conversation. 

“Sounds like between the two of us we're keeping the daycare on their toes. End of the world doesn't stop the cogs from turning,” he muses, tilting his head to their doomed sky as if the comet were but a smudge on his window.  

Hoennians, Angelo had come to learn during his time living here, were tenacious as all hell and judging by the smile, its one of the things he likes about them. 

Shaymin, meanwhile, watches the Zorua's attempts to impress with narrowed eyes. Looking very much as if it was calculating cool points in its head. Before it can deliver a verdict however, more wild pokemon come into view.

Inspired, its head tilts towards the newcomers direction, beckoning the little dark fox towards the larger and more formidable forms of the Leavanny and Pangoro with a mischievous grin. 

Now taking those down would be far more impressive than a little Vullaby. 

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Caleb let out a small sigh of relief he hadn't known he'd been holding. Whoever this angelo vestri was, he was a good enough man not to tell on an exhausted Ranger looking for a few hours of much-needed rest. Not that Caleb thought Tam Fawley would actually punish him...but all the same. It never felt good to feel like he was slacking off.[break][break]
Guess I'm actually a decent Ranger now, he thought with a wry inward chuckle. It seemed his days of pissing off superiors, coming into the office late, and complaining crudely about the "boring" missions had passed him by. Crazy what actually giving a shit could do to a man.[break][break]
"Escorted?" Caleb asked, curious. "Are you some kind of Pokémon chauffeur?" He grinned a little. It was a joke, of course...but Angelo did strike him as a rather unique individual; that roguish smile of his made Caleb think of long nights at sea, hikes along narrow mountain passes, and other survivalist antics. "Adventurer" wasn't a job title, but Angelo gave off a distinct sense of "fearless spirit." Nothing like me, the Ranger mused. Since when had Caleb gone on an "adventure"?[break][break]
If the little Hisuian Zorua could speak, he might have begged to differ with his trainer's self-assessment. They'd been on plenty of adventures! They'd escaped Kanto, hadn't they? Lyra the Lapras had taken them across many a foreign sea. And what about that bizarre rift in time and space that had turned Zero into a ghost? Surely Caleb was counting all that.[break][break]
But the Zorua was preoccupied with the Shaymin's goading. Zero would not allow the snide little legendary to doubt his strength! With a competitive huff, he teleported over to the Pangoro and immediately summoned a cloud of dark energy even more massive than his previous attack. A thundering BITTER MALICE struck the large bear Pokémon with a force so powerful it knocked it completely over, directly into the Leavanny right behind it, taking them both out. Defeating two Pokémon at once had to be enough to impress the Shaymin, right?[break][break]
Noticing the commotion, Caleb threw a Pokeball at the Pangoro, before his Zorua could be outnumbered by a dual retaliation. What was Zero doing being so aggressive? How unlike him...

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[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD SPINARAK APPEARED!

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[attr="class","wildtitle"]A WILD VESPIQUEN APPEARED!

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Pokémon chauffeur? A short hah escapes Angelo's throat in a bark, teeth flashing amused.

“That depends. Does being a Ranger make you some sort of pokémon security guard?”

He enjoyed prying open hidden sides, bringing them out into the light like the mysteries that lay hidden within treasure chests or undiscovered, sheltered groves. To see that there was a sense of humour lurking beneath Caleb's was a nice surprise.

Although it was oft Angelo's folly that the traits he takes greatest satisfaction of beckoning out, were the unscrupulous ones, hidden for a reason. 

“But sometimes we do transport pokémon as part of our services.” Turning his body towards Caleb, he'll find a hint of a sparkle in blue eyes. Honest pride leaking through. “I'm co-owner of Nautica, a maritime and exploration company over in Lilycove.”

The Shaymin's ears, meanwhile, have perked up in surprise as its newly established rival takes down two fully grown wild pokemon. 

Energised by the Zorua's success, Sprout bounces forward, bumping into Zero in a playful shove. As if saying it's on! 

With a flap of its long, floppy ears an AIR SLASH is stirred, sweeping a wandering Spinarak up in the gale. It's thrown towards the bench and Angelo unlatches a pokeball, attempting to snatch it up before the bug flies in their faces. 

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Caleb laughed out loud, the sound unfamiliar to his own ears. When was the last time he'd laughed like that? "Yeah, that's pretty much it. Pokémon security guards." The assessment wasn't that far off from Caleb's own views on the Rangers when he'd first signed up for the job. It had taken him a while to realize it, but they were more than just conservation efforts and Pokémon babysitting. The Rangers were Hoenn's field operatives...the League's first line of defense. They could fight as well as any officer of the law, perhaps better. And we'll be fighting soon enough... he thought, sobering.[break][break]
"Nautica?" Had Caleb heard of them? The name sounded vaguely familiar, as if it had been hibernating in the back of his mind for some time. "An exploration company...as in, you take people on expeditions?" This time, his tone wasn't mocking, but curious - as if maybe a part of him might actually desire such a thing. Who has time to adventure about in the wilds of Hoenn, discovering new frontiers? That could really be someone's whole job?[break][break]
Was that a pang of jealousy Caleb felt? It sounded nice to just...get away from it all. But, Caleb supposed, there was probably a lot more to Angelo's work than he was letting on. There usually always was.[break][break]
Zero grinned as his new frenemy made quick work of a nearby Spinarak. The Shaymin was fast. The Zorua looked around for a new victim, and spotted a buzzing Vespiquen entering the grove. With a burst of AGILITY, Zero powered up his own speed and darted forward, tackling the Vespiquen to the ground in a flurry of dark energy. Caleb was forced to throw another Pokeball - what the hell was Zero up to, anyway? This was the most active Caleb had seen his ghostly companion in quite some time...

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