[attr="class","wownewtag"] John Sullivan Elisabeth Fiorelli

[attr="class","wownewmain"]Fingertips reach out, trailing over the labels meticulously stuck to the shelves to lend some semblance of organisation for Elisabeth Fiorelli’s curated collection of death.

His expression remains emotionless, eyes blue ice chips as he recollects a conversation beneath the jubokko tree.

Had it been intentional, he wonders, had she been sprinkling breadcrumbs beneath his nose?

Lips quirk in the slightest of smiles.

Its when Doug kneels down to look beneath the table, that Angelo’s touch slips over glass. Within his pocket, a pilfered vial quietly disappears.

“What’ve you got there?” He asks Doug, the shelf left in darkness as he and his illumina dreepy step over towards where the former gym leader was leafing through a book. “C'mon, Doug. Share.”

Without waiting, Angelo takes hold of one side of the book while his friend holds the other, tilting it in his direction to get a better look at the swoops of ink.

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[attr="class","angelotag"] Yuina Higashi

[attr="class","angelomain"]Enough was enough, apparently. Yuina makes to leave and despite his desire to continue collecting, he wasn't about to let her wander through the deep sea, high as a kite.

Angelo didn't need to know the young woman to tell she was acting odd. That she was likely a danger to herself if left alone.

"Right. Let's go get some fresh air."

He only has time to scoop up the bigger chunks of rock off the ground, shoving them into his pack before Yuina is out of sight. They'd still be here if he came back another time, he tries to convince himself as he slings the strap over his shoulder, abandoning the scattering of gems. Probably.

LESSEN THE LOAD
+100 POINTS

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[attr="class","angelotag"] Shalin Nariya

[attr="class","angelomain"]An amused breath fans from his lips, “got yourself a stubborn one, huh? Little guy must’ve been a little too cosy in its egg.”

Mist is lured towards his skin like sharpedo catching a scent of blood in the water, ticking against the scar on his hand as it sinks in. As if sensing the thickening in the air, Zulu 2 hovers close to Angelo. Her spectral tail drapes over his shoulder comfortingly.

It doesn’t take long before the chamber begins to feel smaller. Stifling.

Not fun, indeed. He focuses on the ache of his muscles as he excavates.

As if on time, familiar shapes begin to fade into his peripheries. Nihilego tentacles searching for something to latch onto, about as hungry as Angelo felt for the mysterious ore.

“I’ll keep going here,” he calls out over the strikes of the pickaxe, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder at his extraction partner. “Watch my back for a few minutes, yeah?”

Shalin had brought a small army with her, after all. Her team lurking around on standby.

Better give them something to do.

FOCUS ON MINING
+1 curio

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[attr="class","angelotag"] Yuina Higashi

[attr="class","angelomain"]Thankfully, Yuina seems aware enough to pick up on his suggestion. Still, Angelo keeps a cautious eye out as she shuffles off to take a seat, her faraway gaze not escaping his notice.

Perceiving her silence as a sign that the young woman was clearheaded enough for him to go back to work, Angelo takes the pickaxe handle into his grip once more.

Not his smartest moment.

Strikes of metal upon the crystals unknowingly echo the threats Yuina hears whispering in her head. Sharp punctuations that accumulate into a sudden frantic scramble.

Angelo’s gaze snaps over as his partner cries out.

“Shit.” He hisses out, snapping his small pickaxe onto his person. Searching the cavern for what haunts her. “Chester!”

His loyal gloomdweller is already giving chase, diving back into the shadows like a falling ink drop, Chester lunges after the creature made of similar shade. When it catches up to Yuina’s demons, a spectral thief explodes out in a flurry of grim energy.

BATTLE MANIFESTED TRAUMA
+50 POINTS

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[attr="class","angelotag"] Elise Calcifet

[attr="class","angelomain"]A hand falls upon a dainty shoulder, squeezing firmly as if to break through the spell she'd been placed under.

"Alright. Think you've had enough." Angelo makes the executive decision that enough was enough, that it was time for them to hightail before the core messes with them any further. With a whistle to get his pokémon's attention, the dragon swoops over on scarred, leathery wings.

Elise appears shaken. Hallucinations having gripped her into a feverish argument. There was no way that they could mine any more when she couldn't see what was beyond her nose. He doubt she can fly alone, either.

He grimaces internally, private in his disappointment. For Eltanin would only be able to carry so much on his back.

Regrettably, Angelo leaves a portion of his labour behind. With his rock-filled pack slung over his shoulder the pilot leads the ambassador by the shoulder, guiding her towards his salamance. Eltanin dips his large form close to the ground, allowing them easier passage onto his back.

"We'll fly together. Eltanin will take us back to the rift."

Last thing he needed was to explain to Remiel Calcifet that he'd lost his relative somewhere in the deep after she'd fallen off her noivern.

LESSEN THE LOAD AND ESCAPE
+100 RKS POINTS

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[attr="class","angelotag"] Gunner Graves

[attr="class","angelomain"]Somewhere in the distance, as the beverage is popped open, Orion breaks out into a chorus of sneezes. Salt water had shot up her nose.

“And the real motivation for the invitation unveils itself,” there’s something mischievous in Angelo’s smile as he raises his can towards Gunner, initiating cheers. Dealing merriment with a side of danger. “I need a taste tester. See if its good enough for next years Steel Chef.”

(And for good company, first and foremost.)

In any other situation, perhaps the agent should be wary to witness the hint of trouble in his expression. With food, though? Gunner was in trustworthy hands.

“Its a burger day.” With a foot, Angelo nudges the cooler that he had brought with him filled with bargain meat. At its side lay a bag of deliciously discounted ingredients. “How d’you like them? Rare? Medium-rare?”

He feels like he should know Gunner’s culinary preferences and dislikes, like its lost on the tip of his tongue.

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[attr="class","angelotag"] Yuina Higashi

[attr="class","angelomain"]Together the marshadow and sneasel lunge towards their malicious spectators. Ice cracks over the small ultra beasts in a flurry of blows, their chitters of menacing mirth replaced by alarmed screeches - disjointed from cold tremors.

Its almost like a group of small, troublemaking children whom had never faced the consequences of their actions before.

While the din of the fray continues on in the background, Angelo catches the brunette standing frozen still. Eyes closed, as if spellbound into a trance.

Angelo didn’t need to be able to feel her emotions to have an inkling that Yuina wasn’t as okay as she had tried to make out. Watching her breathing through the effects of the mist reminded him of claustrophobic thoughts of his own.

“Hey. Yuina, right?” For hands roughened by manual labour, Angelo’s touch upon her shoulder is surprisingly gentle. His voice following in kind. It would do neither of them any good if she buckled.

“How about you sit down? We’ve got to trek all the way back up to the rift after this.” He gestures towards a rock close by, low enough for her to sit. “Shouldn’t be much longer, then we can get the hell out of here.”

Its then that the pillars of tera crystals begin to illuminate. Their surfaces glowing with a rich purple lustre, as dark and invasive as poison seeping into the veins…

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[attr="class","angelotag"] Yuina Higashi

[attr="class","angelomain"]Yuina receives a nod in acceptance, her decision respected without argument nor instance of chivalry. “Just shout if you need to take a break or something, alright?”

As the mist creeps towards the woman and her sneasel’s ankles, wispy tendrils seeking host, Angelo gets to work on chipping away at the pillars of gem. Sounds of labour quickly filling the cavern.

And reaching to the inhabitants of the Ultra Deep Sea, also.

Bright, lifeless poipole eyes peek from the darkness as they come by to check on the source of activity. Their stingers glittering in the light of the starry fields, shining down through a gap in their mining nook.

Angelo was used to their appearance by now, scarcely pausing as, between each loud collision of his pickaxe, he calls out to his faithful companion. “Chester, keep them away from us.”

Skirting the shadows, the marshadow creeps away from the small group. Bursting out of the darkness beneath one such ultra beast to strike its belly with an ice punch.

He glances over towards Yuina to check how she was faring with the mist.

FOCUS ON DEFENSE
+50 POINTS

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