[attr="class","matias1"]

[attr="class","matias2"]

"i have a feeling they will."[break][break]

the friend he's waiting for is lam logan, but for whatever reason, the man is either late or has ghosted him. he would prefer it to be the first but after their last trip to the border, the latter is more likely.[break][break]

"tch. i'll give them a call."[break][break]

he pulls out his phone only to discover that he barely has a signal here.[break][break]

"tch, tch."[break][break]

---

kyle lopez Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","matias3"][attr="class","rouxcredit"]♠

[attr="class","elisatestbody"]

Well, shit.[break][break]

It evidently wasn't enough that the underboss had been separated from her group in Granite Cave. The two people blocking Elisabeth from exiting the area safely were familiar faces, for two unpleasant reasons.[break][break]

The first? kyle lopez, who had already given her difficulty elsewhere in the Ultra Deep Sea alongside the delightfully dreadful PENELOPE LIVY.[break][break]

The second? MATIAS SILPH, and what frustrations he'd caused Elisabeth in Littleroot only intensified when the man decided to likewise declare war in her personal life, making unwanted advances on her in her home and later Mt. Chimney.[break][break]

Technically speaking, both men had almost killed her. For different reasons, she had wanted to kill them both in return.[break][break]

Her Pokemon, however, were fairly exhausted from previous scuffles elsewhere. Frankly, she was tired. Avoiding a battle at all costs seemed the ideal move going forward, as her goal was to exit the cave, nothing more and nothing less.[break][break]

What a shame it was she couldn't just waltz by.[break][break]



Behind a nearby rock, she adjusted herself out of her battle gear, sliding off her jacket and vest then removing her headset and helmet. It left her unable to contact other Rockets for reinforcements, but living another day seemed preferable on all accounts.[break][break]

A hand ran through her now-revealed long blonde hair, and she examined her frankly boring under-suit clothing, deciding the all-black ensemble looked relatively normal.[break][break]

A foot kicked the Rocket gear into a nearby ravine, praying for the best.[break][break]

Well. Here went nothing.[break][break]

"Oh, thank Arceus," she breathed out as she came to the cave's entrance, her exhaustion real enough that it didn't need to be faked. "I was worried this place was Rocket-occupied, too."[break][break]

Hopefully they wouldn't ask too many questions about what a random florist was doing here. Maybe. Probably.

[attr="class","elisatestcredit"]

[attr="class","matias1"]

[attr="class","matias2"]

the appearance of Elisabeth Fiorelli sends all the alarms ringing in his head. he eyes her far more cautiously than kyle lopez does only because of all they've been through. specifically, the events of mount chimney.[break][break]

he can still taste the blood in his mouth.[break][break]

"the florist."[break][break]

but is she more than that?[break][break]

"you're a long way from home. what are you doing here?"[break][break]

---

kyle lopez Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","matias3"][attr="class","rouxcredit"]♠

[attr="class","elisatestbody"]

Was she the only florist MATIAS SILPH knew? His insistence on naming her by her profession continued to irk her.[break][break]

Nonetheless, this wasn't the time or place for a rematch of Mount Chimney. Well. Technically it was, but she was endeavoring to avoid that, really.[break][break]

Which was why she ignored the Elite Four and spoke pleasantly to his companion, instead.[break][break]

"I'm Elisabeth, yes. A florist from Petalburg. You must be Kyle Lopez? I've heard so much about you." Only then did the additional context register, and she blinked. "My... route?" she repeated, the gears in her mind slowly turning.[break][break]

Apparently Matias's ending had involved them forming some terrorist organization and attempting to take over the world.[break][break]

What virtual version of her had Kyle met?[break][break]

She attempted an easy smile, laughing lightly.[break][break]

"I hope this means you've had little enough Rocket activity here that you can spend time playing games on your phone?"

[attr="class","elisatestcredit"]

[attr="class","matias1"]

[attr="class","matias2"]

yes, matias has played her route, but he figures it best to leave that unsaid.[break][break]

"we've met, but i'm not sure why she's pretending like i'm not even here right now."[break][break]

he looks back at Elisabeth Fiorelli before deciding to approach. he takes a few steps forward, closing the distance.[break][break]

"did you like our little picnic at mount chimney?"[break][break]

with his back turned to kyle lopez, the grin that forms comes easily.[break][break]

"do you miss it?"[break][break]

---

kyle lopez Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","matias3"][attr="class","rouxcredit"]♠

[attr="class","elisatestbody"]

Attempts at stepping out of the cave were blocked immediately by the Elite Four's broad silhouette, and Elisabeth wondered for a moment if in fact, fighting him might have been the easier solution to escaping here.[break][break]

For once, she was grateful that Kyle Lopez -- of all people -- was nearby. Surely Matias wouldn't attempt the same shenanigans as before with a witness present, the champion of Hoenn no less.[break][break]

"We've met, yes," Elisabeth confirmed, decidedly glancing over Matias's shoulder to look at Kyle. Her voice cool in its explanation, she continued evenly, "I was the florist for his wedding. Or, well, I was supposed to be."[break][break]

She met Matias's grin with a chilled smile that was polite in the way it bared its fangs.[break][break]

"He was having a particularly hard day after its cancellation, and so I gave him some time out of my day to work through it. I hope you're feeling more yourself now?"[break][break]

Feigned concern rang in the veiled threat, as if both of them hadn't tried to kill each other in the lava pools.

[attr="class","elisatestcredit"]

[attr="class","matias1"]

[attr="class","matias2"]

the crumpled piece of paper hits the back of his head.[break][break]

"tch."[break][break]

is this how kyle lopez's dogs feel? how horrible.[break][break]

he doesn't bother looking back at the champion to share his annoyances. instead, he focuses on Elisabeth Fiorelli, not yet letting her pass.[break][break]

"you never answered earlier."[break][break]

because he has his suspicions.[break][break]

"what are you doing here?"[break][break]

---

kyle lopez Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","matias3"][attr="class","rouxcredit"]♠

[attr="class","elisatestbody"]

If this was how kyle lopez handled his colleague's misbehavior, then maybe Elisabeth could understand why her virtual self had accepted a date from him. She had yet to understand why her virtual self had taken over the world with Matias, however.[break][break]

A mystery better left unsolved, perhaps.[break][break]

"Ah," Elisabeth said, an embarrassed laugh taking hold of her as she attempted to walk around Matias to the entrance. "I was conducting field work," she explained, the excuse conveniently stolen from her interrogation of GIDEON GRAVES. "There were reports of strange flora in the cave, and I thought I'd explore."[break][break]

She self-consciously ran a hand through her hair, another equally abashed laugh punctuating the brief pause between her words.[break][break]

"I was rather in over my head though, I think. Seemed wise to escape home before things worsened out there."

[attr="class","elisatestcredit"]

[attr="class","matias1"]

[attr="class","matias2"]

field work. how gullible does she think they are? he even looks back at kyle lopez to raise an eyebrow, more amused than anything.[break][break]

but when he looks back, he sighs.[break][break]

"i'll save us all a little time."[break][break]

he takes a step closer to Elisabeth Fiorelli.[break][break]

"are you with team rocket, florist?"[break][break]

---

kyle lopez Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","matias3"][attr="class","rouxcredit"]♠