Mark cursed loudly, running a hand through his hair as he paced a bit. Rushing into the doors behind him, Pryce huffed out a bit breathlessly. "You know... have a heart. I'm not as young as I used to be... and chasing you kids around... is exhausting." Mark ignored his comment, uttering out completely distressed. "Damn it. He's gone!" Pryce straightened up with a deep breath, asking curiously. "Who is?" Mark whirled around to face him, snapping out. "Nate! I didn't think he'd... I thought I'd..." While Mark paced more, Pryce asked him in a calm collected tone. "Alright. Rewind and start from the beginning. What's happened?" Mark glanced around at the few trainers that were wandering around, reluctantly saying. "I can't say here." Pryce shrugged, gesturing to the elevator. Mark stormed over to it and ran Sean's bracelet across the scanner. Slipping inside, Mark pressed the button to close the doors quickly. Pryce waited until the doors shut, then shrugged at him.

Taking a breath, Mark leaned back against the wall and tried to keep it simple as he explained. "You know that Nate works for Giovanni. Well, he is heading off to meet him as they discussed. But reviving Mew... That is nothing compared to what that little stunt has probably done." Pryce's eyes lowered to the floor, before softly regaling aloud. "Oh... You think Giovanni will use Nate to get the jewel of Articuno?" Mark nodded, uneasily shrugging out. "It didn't click with me until just now. I don't think this was just about reviving Mew. Giovanni sent him here to get the Prism Scale... but then shows up to help? The Teams have had a truce for years... Now Team Rocket is working with Valor? Mystic and Instinct are fighting over an evolved Feebas? This just feels so..." Mark couldn't finish, but Pryce continued for him. "It feels planned out. Putting the Teams at each other throats. Making them weaker." Mark nodded, then mumbled out. "Unfortunately... Instinct only knew about the Feebas because of me... I started that. And I can't call Spark..."

Mark gestured off with his hand, adding grimly. "All the swimming destroyed my damn phone..." Pryce bit his lip, mumbling out. "Call him at one of the Pokestop's video phone stations. Warn him. The Teams need to be on alert." Mark nodded, then grumbled out uneasily. "We need to stop Nate before he gets to Ice Island. If Giovanni gets even one jewel..." Pryce exhaled out softly. "You may be able to stop Nate... but Giovanni? At least, the man I knew... He's ruthless. If he wants something... He'll find a way to get it. Hell, he might already have them." Mark shook his head, saying hopefully. "No. If he did, the storm would be much worse." The elevator dinged and Mark stepped out to lead him down the hallway. However, at the door, Mark slowed to a stop. Turning with a slight blush, Mark mumbled out. "Can you a... wait out here a minute?" Pryce blinked with a blank expression. Mark couldn't look at Pryce now as he uttered out. "It's just that... He's not... decent." Pryce's white eyebrows slowly rose with peaked curiosity.

Mark cleared his throat, turning away as he grumbled out. "Don't. Just. Stay out here." Pryce crossed his arms, leaning back against the wall as he mumbled out. "Didn't realize I was a fourth wheel to your group. Criminy, to be young..." Mark groaned, quickly opening the door with Sean's bracelet. Slipping inside, he glanced around to see if Sean was up. Peeking around the divider, he smirked. Sean was still fast asleep but had migrated to the center of the bed. Setting Sean's bracelet down on the table, Mark moved quickly to the bed. Clearly Sean was not an early morning riser. He guessed probably a noon type. Otherwise, he was just such a lightweight that the alcohol had given him a deep peaceful slumber. Climbing carefully up onto the bed, Mark touched Sean's warm cheek with the backs of his fingers, whispering to him. "Sean...? Wake up." He hated waking people. Especially, ones that looked as adorable as Sean did. Sean moaned so softly in his sleep but didn't stir. Biting his lip, Mark smiled.

Stroking Sean's bare arm that was half tucked under him, Mark called his name again. Sean moaned again in his sleep, his fingers clawing the sheets beneath him. Sliding a hand down Sean's exposed back, he said into his ear in a normal tone. "Sean. You have to get up." Sean turned his face into the pillow, trying to avoid him as he muffled out in a childish whine. "Leave me alone..." Mark heard more, but it was too muffled by the pillow. Rolling his eyes, he crawled over him on all fours. Kissing his shoulder, he said hopefully. "I didn't get the last bit... Sean... Please, get up. Don't make me carry you to the shower..." Sean didn't answer. Mark groaned, putting his forehead to Sean's shoulder before jerking his head up and snapping out in a fake panic. "Sean! The building is on fire! Get up!" Sean groaned, dragging another pillow closer to himself as he muffled out. "I'll be fine... Leave me behind..." Mark exhaled, starting to climb off him as he said. "Alright. You leave me no choice... Cold shower it is."

Getting to his feet, he grabbed Sean's arm and dragged him to the edge of the bed. Just as he started to adjust his grip to lift him, Sean suddenly jerked up onto all fours and snapped out in a wild fury. "Do it and I'll freeze your pokeballs off!" Mark removed his hands off him, watching Sean lay back down across the bed like he had never woken up. Dropping his hands to his sides, Mark tried to think if it was worth risking. He certainly was cranky. As his eyes drifted across the room though, he smiled and leaned back down over him. Stroking his side, Mark purred into his ear. "Sean?" Sean groaned as a response. Mark kissed his shoulder, saying in a deep buttery voice. "Wake up. And coffee and donuts are on me?" Sean's head rose off the pillow, his tired eyes barely opening as he said in a groggy voice. "What was that?" Mark kissed his cheek, purring it out again. This time, Sean's eyes shot open and he chuckled over his shoulder. "Well, why didn't you just start with that? Damn." Mark straightened up, rolling his eyes again.

Slipping from the bed, Sean staggered to his feet. Unable to help himself, Mark patted down his static risen hair. Sean rubbed his eyes with the backs of his hands, yawning as he stumbled toward the bathroom. Mark waited for him to come back out, before telling him seriously. "We'll have to take your stuff to go. Sean, there is a wild storm outside, and it is only going to get worse. And I think Giovanni is going to make Nate steal Mystic's jewel." Sean pulled on his pants, sleepily blinking out to him. "Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much in the morning? I didn't get anything after getting the stuff to go..." Mark pinched the bridge of his nose with his finger and thumb. After slipping on a shirt, Sean suddenly asked him. "Where is Nate?" Mark dropped his hand, trying to slow himself down enough to reply. "He's going to Ice Island. We need to-" Sean dashed forward to grab his back, snapping out. "WHAT?! Why did you let him leave!" Mark opened his mouth as Sean reached the door, but didn't get a chance to reply, because Sean turned to ask him scarcely as he rubbed his wrist. "Mark? Where's my Trainer ID?"

Mark pointed to the table, blurting out. "Sean, he was going to leave either way. I didn't have a choice." Sean snatched his bracelet, trying to reattach it around his wrist as he grumbled out. "You should have tied him to the bed or something! Damn it, Mark! How long has he been gone?" Mark saw him struggle to attach the bracelet with one hand and moved up to him. Taking the bracelet, he calmly strapped it to him, answering casually. "A few minutes tops." Sean nodded, stating out. "I'll take my Charizard to the island and meet you there." Mark finished but didn't let go of Sean's hand as he said swiftly. "You can't." Sean blinked, asking defensively. "Why not?" Mark straightened up a bit, answering bluntly. "It's raining out. If your Charizard's tail goes out it dies." Sean shrugged, asking lightly. "The Dragonites?" Mark opened his mouth, then blinked before saying honestly. "I... I don't know. I didn't see Pryce with them come to think if it..." Sean gawked at him, asking excitedly. "You found Pryce?"

Mark chuckled, giving him a nod. Gesturing to the door, he told him casually. "Ya. He's waiting outside the door." Sean glanced down at his hand that Mark was still holding. Noticing that he still had his hand, he released him with a blush. Why did Sean have such soft skin? For a few seconds, a silence passed between them. Then Sean looked to the door and asked uneasily. "Does Pryce know... about what we...?" Mark swallowed, admitting lightly. "I think he suspects." Sean put on his Mystic hat and pulled the brim down over his eyes as he mumbled out. "Oh, great..." Sean started to trudge for the door, but Mark stopped him by grabbing his wrist. When Sean stopped to look back at him from under the brim of his hat, Mark told him softly. "About last night..." Sean lowered his head to hide his blush beneath the brim of his hat as he mumbled out shyly. "Look. I don't do that sort of thing... So... Don't say it didn't mean anything to you. I don't think my heart could take it. It's the most fun I've had in a while. Please, don't ruin it for me."

Mark hadn't expected him to say that. Giving him a warm smile, Mark stepped closer to him as he said sweetly. "I wasn't going to say that." Sean backed up, his hips hitting the counter. With nowhere to run, Mark playfully lifted the brim of Sean's hat and kissed him. Sean let out a surprised moan but deepened the kiss. He was much better at kissing now. Mark removed his hat completely, pressing against him to savor the kiss for just a little bit longer. Sean's hands rose to cup his jaw in his soft warm hands. Mark couldn't get enough of how innocent and loving Sean's kiss was. He could tell Sean's heart was it. Prying his lips from his, Sean breathlessly uttered out in a saddened voice. "Don't..." Mark brushed his lips over Sean's cheek, asking in a wispy voice. "Don't what?" Sean's hands lowered to his chest, gently pushing him back from him. Mark reluctantly stepped back as Sean bowed his head and answered grimly. "Don't play me like this... My guard is down... and I'm not emotionally ready for you to..." Sean didn't finish. He just took his hat back and put it on without looking at him.

Mark put a hand on his chest to keep him from walking away, telling him seriously. "Sean, we may not get this moment again. So, let me just come out and say it." Sean shook his head, begging gently. "Mark, don't... Please." Mark leaned closer to his ear, telling him openly. "I felt something last night. And I think you did too. I wanna get to know you better." Sean sniffled, shaking his head as he mumbled out. "You had to go there... Mark..." Mark shrugged, asking in a buttery voice. "Just think about it." Sean pushed Mark's hand off his chest gently, answering without looking at him. "I don't have to think about it. You're an Instinct. I'm a Mystic. Whatever we feel. It can't happen. Can't we just end this happily?" Sean walked to the door, while Mark stated aloud for him. "You said 'we'... not 'you.' And for what it's worth... Last night is the best time I've ever had." Sean froze at the door, then opened it without looking back at him. Collecting his bag, Mark followed him out of the room. Out in the hallway, Sean walked directly past Pryce without looking at him either.

Pryce looked to Mark with a shrug, but Mark waved off his question for now. Together they slipped into the elevator and made their way down in an awkward silence. On the ground floor, Mark and Sean quickly retrieved their pokemon. Then Mark took Sean to the Pokemon Café to keep his word. While Sean ordered something to go, Mark asked Pryce hopefully. "Those Dragonites we had. Where are they?" Without hesitating, Pryce answered coolly. "I released them. Why?" Mark groaned, muttering out. "Damn it. How are we going to get to Ice island? I don't have any water types. Sean's fire type can't fly in the rain and-" Mark stopped talking as Pryce gave him a sarcastic look. He was about to ask, when Pryce began to toss a pokeball between his hands, smirking as he said. "I've got Lapras. Will that do?" Sean grabbed Mark's wrist, running it across the payment scanner, while Mark stated out to Pryce. "Ya. I guess that could work. As long as it can handle rough waves."

Pryce grinned, telling him confidently. "Oh, he can. Don't worry about that. Just make sure you call your Team leaders before we go. Make every second count." To Be Continued...