Ah. She was already walking down to meet him.[break]
The stars aligned. Perfect.[break][break]

Having already moved up partway along the staircase, he merely paused where he was while looking up towards her upon arrival. ”Oh, look at that. She actually left her desk~,” he hummed, the corners of his lips tugging gently as a chuckle left his lips, all the while. Turning around, he began to make his way back down not too long after she’d reached the bottom floor. His mouth opened with the intention of responding, but all that left his lips had been a sudden, screaming yelp as he felt his weight suddenly shift as his foot slipped at the edge of one of the steps.[break][break]

He fell down the remaining stairs.[break]
Ungracefully.[break][break]

Absolutely ungracefully.

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

Oh, no.[break]
No, no, no. That’s not how this worked.[break][break]

He’d only sat upon the ground for a small while following those words before breathing a sigh, rocking back as a means to build momentum before rolling himself forward and onto his feet. Within a brisk, quick footed manner, he hummed while making his way over, staring at her once he’d stopped in front of her. ”Ohhh no. That’s, like, the sixth time you’ve said that,” he grumbled, narrowing his eyes while reaching over to gently tug at her. ”Come oooon…! It’s been the entire day. You gotta at least eat, Daph…”[break][break]

He poked at her more. Quicker. Annoyingly.[break][break]

”Come oooon... I already brought everything over. It's gonna get cooooold...”

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

”Well, to be fair, we both know the bullying’s gonna go both ways~.”[break][break]

He gave her a wink while beginning to lift himself from his seat, all while ensuring the cub remained secured within his arms, lest he made another jump towards the woman and her Pokemon. As the aforementioned little bear struggled against his trainer’s hold, the man himself lifted his head to flick his head for yet a third time. ”I hope Apatite’s ready, though~,” he called out, making his way towards one of the corners before lifting the Pancham beneath the first of the ropes. Azure hues trailed after the little beast as he shuffled his way further into the ring with a slight hop in his step, rolling his shoulders in the beginnings of a quick Work Up.[break][break]

”...This fight’s his,” he mused on with a chuckle, peering towards the other two. ”I wanna watch what he does for himself~.”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: down for the count

☉

”Ah, when you put it like that, you make it sound kinda questionable~,” the main laughed, a small smile tugging upon his lips as he shifted the wire from around the appliance before holding it out to her. Glancing back towards the other two dragons (one of which had been gently beating his tail against the stage while tilting his head at the one by him) for just a moment, he hummed before shifting his attention back to her again. ”It’s honestly nothing too high maintenance~. ...Honestly the kinda thing you’d go through with an actual kid, if anything…”[break][break]

He glanced over the crowds as he waited for her to take the wire, and his lips tugged into a proper grin as he cleared his throat and rose his voice.[break][break]

“I got a question for you all!” he called out, raising a brow as the heads turned towards him. ”What are the three main things you’ll need when dealing with a dragon? Come on! Anyone~!”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: how to train your dragon

☉

”Something a ‘lil different than most people here probably expected~.” With a gentle, sighing heave, he stacked several of the containers upon one another before slipping his fingers beneath the lowermost one; his grip ensured to be secure before he’d ultimately lifted both himself and its contents up. With little time between ground and air, he leaned forward to place them upon one of the tables that had been set up earlier in the day, glancing towards the two dragons (one of which visibly perked up and almost seemed as if he was about to pounce, only to allow his sudden energy to stray away) before meeting her gaze once more. ”Less combat, more, y’know...understanding~.”[break][break]

He crouched down towards the smaller storage crate again.[break][break]

”A little bit of ‘Dragon 101,’ if you will~.”[break][break]

Following those words, he took yet another box out, but by the look of the words and pictures upon its surfaces, it hadn’t contained much of an edible sort of thing. His gaze strayed absentmindedly towards the distance, scanning over a leaf pile or two as he searched for last minute attendees before peering over the table. He took a blender out, uncoiling the wire.[break][break]

”Mind giving me a quick hand? There should be a power strip hooked up to a generator somewhere on the other side of the table~.”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: how to train your dragon

☉

”Seems like that’s the case, yeah~.”[break][break]

He took a quick moment to gently pull the panda a bit closer to him as he seemed to rouse once more, only being met with a grumble and highly pitched sound of defiance for a moment as his finger met his forehead within a soft flick. For a brief moment, the sound only peaked higher in what seemed to be further defiance, but as the man gave another flick, the sounds only seemed to pitter out into a soft whine as the cub slumped back into his lap. At the sight, he couldn’t help but smile again, noting the rather skeptical and challenging glances that the cub gave towards the little dragon even after being subdued.[break][break]

Almost as if he was scathed by a gentle will-o-wisp.[break]
Ever the dramatic.[break][break]

He’d been about to say more, but the sound of the speakers some ways away caught his attention; his head turning towards the source in recognition of the names as his brows rose. His smile broadened a little bit more. ”Well, would you look at that~...” he chuckled, glancing back towards the dragon with the woman again. Reaching out, he gently poked him a couple of times. ”Looks like you’re going against Ares~. Teach him a good lesson, yeah?”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: down for the count

☉

Now, there were a matter of things that he considered himself good at. Talking to people? Check. Dealing with temper tantrums? Also check. Communicating orders, letting others feel welcome, and anything and everything in between? All of those all, also, had a biggest of checks next to them- or at least, they would’ve if they were actually put into a proper list.[break][break]

Giving others a chance was also on those list.[break]
Same went for absolutely nagging someone if he had to.[break][break]

If anything, those two had twice the checkmarks next to them, and while he had always been one for waiting and watching, ther had always been a certain point in which he, quite simply, couldn’t wait any longer- especially after being told the same thing, over and over, with no obvious means of change. So, there he was. Walking down the hallway. Plates and the like in hand, fresh off the stove (all as he seemed to have the smallest of cheek pouches as he chewed something, seemingly from plucking a small snack before walking over).[break][break]

Without much of a warning, he leaned down just enough to nudge the door open a little bit more before making his way in. ”Aaaalrighty, come on~.” His gaze shifted towards the desk further towards the back of his room, and after taking just a moment glance down as he sat himself down on the floor, he patted the spot next to him while peering over for a second time. ”I’ve been waiting long enough. Cooooome on~.”

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

He hummed pensively.[break]
He glared pensively.[break][break]

At what, specifically? Nothing. Absolutely nothing, save for the ceiling above him, and occasionally, the blades of the fan as it whirred some ways above him from the corner of his eye. The television sounded off within its programs and other shows not too far away, as well, but every time he glanced towards the screen, he found his attention faltering and straying off towards the nearest display of time, instead, regardless of the location. The clock on the wall? The occasional display in the corner of the screen?[break][break]

It hadn’t mattered, and he sighed.[break][break]

In some other parallel multiverse, he would’ve stayed on that couch and probably fallen asleep- but this wasn’t that universe. So, he stretched one of his arms as the other hooked around, and as he set his eyes upon a smaller staircase some ways away, he ran a hand through his hair while continuing forward.[break][break]

”Heeeey, Daph…?” he called out, a tired yawn filtering into the latter tail of his tone. ”I have a questioooon..”

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

He counted the notches.[break][break]

A soft smile tugged upon his lips as he pressed his fingers against the dips and creases of the wood before him, azure hues idly trailing over them before leading upward along the material. He’d remained crouched to do it, but after some smaller amount of time passed, he inhaled and sighed deeply and quickly, closing his eyes while placing a hand upon his knee; its security providing a form of leverage as he pushed himself back up. There were things to do before a certain someone found her way over, but on a short, familiar stride from counter to refrigerator, he’d glanced over just long enough to get distracted.[break][break]

He chuckled quietly under his breath.[break]
Nostalgia truly loved to drop by unannounced, every so often.[break][break]

He hummed, turning his attention towards the clock hanging some ways away before reaching over towards a cloth he’d taken out earlier, neatly folding it before hooking it over his shoulder and turning his attention back towards the various arrays of mise en place that he’d prepared. Just a little while longer, he wagered.

DAPHNE STONE [break]

☉

Glancing over a tad more, he took note of the dragon accompanying her before broadening his smile. He turned around a little bit more (something that garnered the sparks of attention from the one within his arms) in order to catch a better glimpse of the little blue, reaching out to softly bat his hands with his fingers. ”Hah, so I guess that technically makes two of us~...” he started off with a hum, quirking his lip while shifting his gaze back up to match hers. ”I was passing through the area for a little bit of sightseeing and shopping. Come around, heard the commotion, then this little rascal--”[break][break]

(Cue the sudden fighting screams as a certain little someone noticed who was nearby and clambered onto his trainer’s shoulder.)[break][break]

”--got so excited when he saw what was going on~. Had no choice but to sign him up.”[break][break]

He would’ve said more, but before he could get much else out, he’d put more of his focus into apprehending the cub of his; form shifting, and hands immediately shooting out to catch him just as he’d jumped forward in attempt to give the Bagon his own form of greeting. An audible wheeze of a sigh left his lips instead as he tried to calm the bear down, but in true, characteristic flightiness, he’d seemed to find himself roused out of his spark just as quickly as he’d roused in at the scent of pumpkin spice wafting his way. Calix had only managed to get a few words’ worth of scolding out before noticing the sudden calmness (or rather, occupation) from the creature with him, and it was only when he realized that Ares was leaning over with his nose up and pointed towards the cup in the other’s hand that he gradually let go.[break][break]

He sighed.[break][break]

”Uh...first and foremost, though, I was actually here for my kid,” he went on, still keeping a watchful eye on the dual toned bear as he gently started to poke at the woman’s arm. ”Ended up being in the area for work. Figured I may as well get him a ‘lil something before I came home~.”

DAPHNE STONE [break]
mission: down for the count

☉

Oh, so she did remember.[break][break]

At her words, he merely blinked quietly as he processed the question directed towards him, and before long, he nodded slightly in affirmation as a smaller, amused smile returned to his lips. He peered out towards the corner of his eye for but a moment, noting how the Tyrunt seemed to be about to cause yet another massacre at the sight of even more Pokemon. He sighed. ”Yeah, actually~,” he started off in response, a corner of his lip tugging up a faint bit more. ”It was a little while ago, so I honestly wasn’t sure you remembered…”[break][break]

He glanced towards his little, troublesome son as he sprinted around for a little while (though not without yelling a few cries of what he could only assume to be challenge at the other dragon), and after some debate at the sight of him running full force towards the Munna, the man inhaled deeply before sighing, reaching towards his belt for one of the vacant capsules clipped onto it. ”I dunno if you remember, but I actually did give you my number, just in case you remembered the night~,” he went on, chuckling upon reflection of the memory. ”Also passed our bartender buddy a little note asking him to look after you when I left. ...I’m glad it worked out~.”[break][break]

Pausing, he gave another glance towards the distance, just in time to see the tyrannical little dinosaur rip off yet another Crunch on the dream eater Pokemon. Before it could stand to give it another bite in the name of the hunt, Calix quickly wound up, throwing the Pokeball within his hand out and hitting it just in the nick of time. He watched as the creature warped into the capsule, though turned his attention back towards the woman as the ball fell back to the ground to rustle about.[break][break]

”...Your name was Daphne, though, right? I’m not mixing up names?”[break][break]

(tl;dr: catch attempt on munna)

DAPHNE STONE

☉