”...Ah, I see~. Busy as ever, then.”[break][break]

He understood, of course.[break][break]

”...Maybe next time, then.”[break][break]

Even then, a soft sigh of hidden disappointment escaped his lips, however vague it may have been.[break][break]

While lingering upon the dusted paths before them for the initial trek, the Stone found his gaze eventually and gradually trailing towards the vast array of stone and memoriam strewn within their surroundings. Conversing had been something that he had always been well versed in, and conversing had been something that he’d always found enjoyment within— especially and specifically when in the presence of his own family and companions.[break][break]

Yet as he led the way, he found the lack of words upon his own lips unnerving and unavoidable. Only steps within his midst had been the sort of thing he could muster as he took familiar turn after turn; path after path; landmarked memorial after landmarked memorial.[break][break]

It hadn’t taken long before the trails grew more and more familiar, and the sight of a site—albeit small and distant at the time—caught his eye. His eyes narrowed faintly as his steps brought him further along towards it, a failure of words continuously meeting his lips.[break][break]

…Even then, he had to try.[break]
Solemnity hadn’t been a familiar guise for him, after all.[break][break]

”...Do you think he regretted it, sister?” had been the question that left him as he walked ever forward. It surprised him, truthfully, but far be it for him to shield himself from his own thoughts after they’d already pried themselves out.

DAPHNE STONE [break]
n o t e s

☉

”Oh, come on,” he chuckled, raising a brow her way. ”A little salt water never hurt anyone either way~...”[break][break]

He cast a gaze along the horizon prior to trailing it along the sands once more. It hadn’t been long before he noted his own Pokemon further along within the distance, and as he met eyes with one in particular, he found himself smiling a bit more broadly upon seeing them perk up and begin hopping, almost as if beckoning him over.[break][break]

And so did he began walking over amidst the tides, though not before giving the woman’s shoulder another pat to garner her attention.[break][break]

”Come on, then~. Faster we finish up, the faster you can change out.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: to sink one's teeth

☉

”Still dunno what grin you’re talking about, Miss Simone~.”[break][break]

After a fair bit more prying, he found the roots within his fingers loosened enough and freed from their earthly confines. With a subtle, yet satisfied and victorious sigh under his breath, he shook whatever dirt he could from its form before standing up once more.[break][break]

He nudged the woman’s arm before pointing further along the brush with his shovel, smiling playfully before beginning to walk.[break][break]

”Better off keeping your eyes on the prize instead of accusing me, though,” he mused on. ”Still need to gather a few more things before we’re good, I’d say~.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: stockpile

☉

…As much as he meant every word of what he’d said, he had to admit.[break]
Nothing would have ever prepared him for something like what she’d just told him.[break][break]

A silence overcame him as the words met his ears, and as she kept speaking ever onward. A finger tapped idly against the respective temple of his head as he remained leaned over, pensively, with his head cradled and supported by naught more than his cheek. By no means had he any personal favor that would lead him to think neither for nor against the words she’d spoken, nor had he seen any reason for her to bother lying about something of such gravity.[break][break]

After all, the person he’d known until those moments had been one that spared herself the unnecessary, in any case.[break]
He hadn’t seen why she’d try then.[break][break]

”...And you?”[break][break]

He finally opened his eyes once more, albeit faintly, as they began to dwindle upon the flame before him.[break][break]

”What about you, then?”[break][break]

She still seemed to be speaking about someone or something that wasn’t her, after all.

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: hot summer nights

☉

…The stalls, huh?[break]
She was right, at least. He knew that firsthand.[break][break]

A chuckle escaped his lips, all while he lifted the bag he’d plucked treat after treat from and rustled it gently. ”That they are, yeah~,” he hummed, briefly glancing towards the ever-dwelling Noivern atop the statue nearby as he continued to feast upon the treat he’d been given just a little while prior. ”My buddy up there wanted a ‘lil something while waiting. …Ended up perusing a bit already, honestly~.”[break][break]

He took a moment to pop the remainder of the pastry he’d taken for himself into his mouth, beginning to open the bag between his fingers with the intention of offering another towards his companion before pausing as the words met his ears.[break][break]

”Ah, you have…?”[break][break]

Admittedly, he had a hunch of how that may have been the case.[break][break]

”...Well, if you have, I can’t say I remember you…”[break][break]

He quirked a brow of his own in return, a broader smile surfacing upon his expression.[break][break]

”...Think I’d have remembered you if we met before~.”

FIORA HYE-JIN YUN [break]
notes

☉

All things considered, it hadn’t taken him terribly long to catch sight of such a familiar, beloved face. An instinctive smile surfaced upon his lips upon seeing her, though in contrast to his common energies and displays, there had almost been a lackluster touch that reflected her own with both environment and context taken into account.[break][break]

”None at all, sister,” he hummed softly, chuckling within a gentler sense of amusement all the while. He reached out with his free hand, briefly tapping it against her shoulder as his eyes narrowed warmly. ”The concern is appreciated, though~.”[break][break]

With a quicker, albeit deepened breath, he cast a gaze towards the path before them before pulling his hand back. He glanced towards her once more, a weaker tug upon his lips in encouragement breaking through before he looked forward once more and began to walk along.[break][break]

”It’ll just be us, then, I assume?”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
n o t e s

☉

Her request only prompted the expression he wore to glow all the brighter as he narrowed his eyes.[break][break]

With a sharp whistle, his two companions seemed to finally fall into a lull, and as the barrier drawn forth by the creature within his hands vanished once more, the man had simply leaned far enough to place him within the waters once more. He watched as the shelled Pokemon swam away to join the other water type afar before peering towards the woman again.[break][break]

”Can’t say I know what you’re talking about~, he chuckled.[break][break]

Once more, he held a hand down out to her.[break][break]

”Now c’mon, let’s actually get you up. …Still got a job to do, after all~.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: to sink one's teeth

☉

Though punctuality had been a strong suit of his, he found himself eager to linger behind the steering wheel of his car for a while longer. Hues of hazel lingered loosely upon the scenery beyond the glass before him, his chest raising within a gradual manner as the air rushing in remained within for several moments.[break][break]

He held it in for a few more.[break]
He breathed out before long.[break][break]

Finally reaching down to draw the key from the ignition, he slipped it into his pocket prior to promptly reaching into the passenger seat by him. His hand met the wrappings of a bouquet he’d picked up on the way over, lifting it gingerly as to preserve its beauty as he pulled himself onto the concrete beyond the car.[break][break]

At long last, he sighed before shutting the door, only keeping his gaze forward as he began to make his ascent along the pathways.

DAPHNE STONE[break]
n o t e s

☉

Understanding as he’d commonly been within both present and past, there had been a sense of lingering hardness upon his expression as he gazed upon her further. Though the words she’d spoken had met his ears, another bout of silence enveloped him as he thought upon them.[break][break]

He inhaled deeply.[break]
He sighed heavily.[break][break]

”...So you say, but like I said, distance begets distance,” he mused on, peering back towards the flame yet another time. With his elbow propped firmly against a knee, his jaw found purchase against his palm’s caress as he closed his eyes. ”I already said I’d leave it up to you to decide how much you want to say~.”[break][break]

An idle hum left his lips.[break][break]

”Share as much or as little as you’d like~. …Depending on how forthcoming you are this time around, I’ll make my own judgments and responses.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: hot summer nights

☉

”Nothing~.”[break][break]

A truth well spoken despite the rather sarcastic tone it found itself guised beneath. Although for just a moment or so longer, his gaze dwelled upon her within his reprieve before promptly finding itself amidst the roots once more. He reached down towards them again to get back to work.[break][break]

”Just a pleasant surprise, is all~,” he added on, humming. ”Not something anyone sees from you every day~.”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: stockpile

☉

”Oh dear God, yes, please.” The words left his lips unceremoniously, twined beneath a blanket of laughter as the smile he wore remained ever visible. A faint scrunch of nose had instinctively made itself visible, as well, and the chuckles had swiftly transitioned into a soft, groaning sigh of amusement and exasperation alike as he set another skewer aside. ”I love my family to the ends of the earth, but it’s just…so, so horrible, sometimes…”[break][break]

He stared at the remaining meat before shuddering softly, the grin upon his face growing as broader as it did wry.[break][break]

”I can never have the heart to tell them how bad it is~...” he sighed, glancing towards a roll of paper towers before tearing one off. ”I can’t tell what’s worse, sometimes— not being able to say anything, or seeing the realization when they taste things for themselves…”

MARISOL SIMONE [break]
mission: sunny day, bonus met

☉