The smile pushed onto her typically indifferent face is hard for Killian to miss. He notes the struggle, how her puffed cheeks look as though the act were foreign. It very well might be. He can't recall a time he's seen Lulu smile before now. Scowl, certainly, but never smile.

Maybe she was human after all.

His eyes linger, perhaps a bit too long, before looking away. Attention pulled back to the machine painstakingly built.

"Almost there." maybe, if this even worked. And with Sootopolis taken, nothing kept them from finding out except the wind. How rude of mother nature to stand in the way of progress.

"Theories?" he tilted back in her direction. There's more to be said, questions to ask, but she says his name, and they're all pushed back in favor of surprise. "Come again?" That settled it. Killian teleported into the Twilight Zone when they left the sub. It's the only way this made a lick of sense.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Lulu?" he squinted, playfully so, but smiled shortly after. "Kidding." but only a little.

Killian stepped closer and set the meteorite's case down on the nearest flat surface.

"Ideally, my problems end once I've claimed Deoxys as my own." then he'd have power. The power needed to protect Alexandra Briarwood. To ensure that Lulu, Cillian Quinn, Kaito, or anyone else that tried to hurt who he loved, never did so twice.

"But I do love a good mystery, and whatever twisted Sootopolis around has my interest."

"I'm here to help you, Lulu. Tell me what you need."

They'd done this before.

His neck throbbed.

Lulu Flint

Gifting Gacha Trapinch to Amor Rose

Alexandra Briarwood

He revels in her submission, siphons pleasure from frustration that builds during the crawl. Inch by tantalizing inch, the dress and his lips descended. Along her skin, down her shoulder to a chest that undulates with sharp breathes, begging for more. Killian's ready to feast on her completely.

When -

"You're right, that's not what I want."

Pushed back, Killian stumbles, eyebrows raised. "What's she doing?" A look into her eyes chokes words on the tip of his tongue down. Intense, a dominating flame burns suddenly behind amber screens. Dousing it in the rampant waters of his own deep blues proved frivolous. The heat evaporates the pools to steam, captivating him as his jacket's removed.

Backward he goes until his feet hit the foot of their bed. Another push, and he falls. Her body atop him casts more than a shadow, the electricity from her lips more than jolts of pleasure. "What's gotten into you?" this felt like her but didn't at the same time.

"I want you."

And she takes him, grasping tight her desire to the sound of a moan. Lex burned, threatened to melt him, its new, unexplored - exciting. The willingness to let her explore is there, but Killian fought. He pulled her down by the back of her neck and pressed their lips together.

A wild, passionate kiss consuming them as he attempted to reverse their positions.

Alexandra Briarwood

Thank you so much <3 <3 <3

Another rat, but this one sparkled and shined. Killian grinned at the sight of it. "Hello there little one." quick with the bait and even quicker with the Poke Ball. Come my sparkly and shiny friend, join the family - become part of the pact, of the swarm.

Today had too much going on. The number of places to visit and meetings to be held, numbered in the dozens. Usually, Killian would teleport to and from wherever he needed but the body could only handle so much. So, here he was, waving to Dutch, a smile on his face.

"We meet again, Dutch." Killian stopped before her, arms folding over his chest. "I've got plenty of places to be today. Are you sure you're Salamance can handle it?" he teased, nodding to the dragon.

Lucario's a useful Pokemon, able to feel emotions and sense subtle changes in the world. Not to mention the power they possessed. With things around Hoenn are getting increasingly tense, having one by his side could prove helpful.

The sentiment carried Killian to Jagged Path in search of the swarm smashing rocks. His luck during these breaks was...shit, to say the least. He had hope that things would change.

After all...

WnwpMYqW

Killian wouldn't put her through this unnecessarily. She'd practically crawled out of her skin when he mentioned the job. He didn't blame her either. With everything she'd been through being here had to bring back painful memories.

He frowned.

But they needed to be here. Not because something of Killian's would thrive when the casino flattered. Lex and how she felt meant more than some silly project.

Kaito.

The bastard from a past best left buried and forgotten. He'd set up shop in Hoenn, and this place had become one of his. Anger boiled in his veins at the thought. Time to send him a lesson, remind him of what happened when you fucked with what belonged to Killian.

"Hit me." The dealer nodded, a card sliding across baize green felt to him. "7." added to what he already had, that made 14. Killian motioned to stay, shifting in his seat. The one hundred chips he wagered wouldn't be a huge loss. A stack worth at least 1,000 Poke sat comfortably beside him. Give Killian a few minutes; he'd turn it into more than chump change.

Counting cards. Easy to do and noticeable to those looking for it. Like the people trying to make sure the house always won.

"Are you doing okay?" he reached out, an Orbeetle outside the building maintaining a Telepathic link between them. "I know this is hard, but I promise it's worth it."

Silence brewed between them, lingering like an antisocial kid at a party. Eventually, Killian broke it, "Just let me know when you need me to start."

Alexandra Briarwood
MISSION

"Yea -" but Cian doesn't wait for a reply.

With a shrug, Killian jogged after him, the Houndoom close behind. It doesn't take long for that to change.

A bolt of black, Cinder zoomed ahead of the duo, tongue out and flapping against the side of her jaw. Fuck - it's a good thing Lex isn't around to watch. Pretty sure he'd never hear the end of it.

He whistled to reel the dog back in, but she's either too far ahead or doesn't care. Killian frowned and picked up his pace.

Time to play dog catcher.

CIAN MAHER Canine Chase