She'd been busy most of the day so most of her time had escaped her. With the promotion and all she had more work to do and despite having less energy to actually do them, there was no way Gavin would allow her to shirk her responsibilities. So, Serena had been going through the motions. [break][break]

Preparing for whatever reveal Rocket was going to do, while also making sure her 'house' was in order. Getting a new identity was one of them. Once that had been settled she'd been working to establish a 'normal' presence for her new identity. Getting her integrated into society, if you will. She'd also been looking to purchase her old penthouse suite again under this new alias. [break][break]

After taking care of all the paper work and nitty gritty she finally had some time to herself. Which mean she could visit her favorite spot as of late, the Giant tree in the center of Sootopolis. The sun would set soon and cover the world in twilight, but she'd remain all the same. While things seemed to be returning to normal this is all that kept Serena sane. If you could even call her sane right now. [break][break]

Reclining against the trunk of the tree she sighed. Cas would've loved this place. It's why she buried him here. And also because she had to believe this tree offered some sort of primal energy. Something that could be used hopefully in her favor. If this magical tree could pop up from nowhere, perhaps it had the ability to bring Caspurr back to her. Wishful thinking, she new but she had to give it a try all the same.[break][break]

"babe?" a familiar voice startled her and caused her to snap her eyes open. [break][break]

Sitting up a little straighter, Serena's azure orbs narrowed as she stared back at her boyfriend. "Oh," she breathed, suddenly the edge and alarm she had settled down. She'd been jumpy ever since the incident and honestly who could blame her after what happened to her. With a heavy sigh she leaned back against the tree looking back at Danny. [break][break]

She hadn't seen him in a while. In fact, she hadn't seen him since she deployed for the mission. He'd been unable to track her down. Her phone had been ruined and she hadn't bothered in getting a new one. Not to mention she was nowhere to be seen after waking up in the infirmary. She'd been staying with Gavin for a bit, at least till she could secure her own spot. [break][break]

With everything going on, her mind wasn't in the right spot. Danny hadn't been on her mind if she was honest. A part of her felt guilty about it but at the same time her feelings were shot. She was numb all over and quite frankly the part that had dominance over Serena's headspace right now, just didn't care. [break][break]

"I suppose it was about time we ran into each other." she muttered. Still, she wondered how he knew about where she would be. She hadn't told many people about this spot because she preferred to be alone here. It's also why she would come here at odd times. Times when other's would be busy just to make sure she was here alone. "How can I help you?" she asked but her tone was tired.

[break][break]

+ DANNY HALL[break]
+ Serena's Outfit[break]
+ xtra notes: ^.^

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"...that's i you have to say?" He said with a frown.[break][break]

Serena looked back at him with an exhausted look in her eyes and offered a shrug in response. That was all she had for him. All she could muster. He wanted in on the nitty gritty. He wanted to see the real her. Well this was it, the real her, in the flesh. The one who wanted nothing more than to either be left alone or to leave this plane of existence entirely. But the last one, wasn’t much of an option. This was all she could offer, because despite knowing better, she just didn’t have anything more to give. [break][break]

"i've been worried, sera."[break][break]

With a sigh she stared up at the sky. “You, and everyone else.” She muttered, “What do you want me to tell you Danny? That everything is fine? Because it isn’t. That I’ll be back to normal soon? Because I won’t.” She now turned to look at him. “I don’t have anything to say because I don’t have anything to give, nor update you on. I feel like shit, I look like shit. But I still have work to do. Can’t let my promotion get to my head or anything. No I just need to suck it up, pretend everything is fine.”

[break][break]

+ DANNY HALL[break]
+ Serena's Outfit[break]
+ xtra notes: I’ll add color and shit when I’m home, at school rn

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"i just want you to talk to me. i have your back, remember? we have each other's, and you don't have to go through this alone."[break][break]

She knew he was just trying to help and that he was being genuine but for some reason it pissed her off. Unreasonably so. "Dammit Danny, what good would that do?" she snapped back at him. After all, good intentions wouldn't bring Caspurr back. Serena slammed the backside of her fist into the tree behind her. "Fuck," she growled as she pulled her knees to her chest, hiding her head as she leaned against her arms that rested on her knees. [break][break]

Her eyes were beginning to prickle and sting. She didn't want to cry again, but the pang in her chest let her know her body didn't give a damn about her desires. "You weren't there...." Serena continued muffled. "You didn't see what she did to me. What she did to poor Cas." she continued as she tightened her hands into fists so hard her knuckles turned white. [break][break]

"I told you it wouldn't be good to stay with me." she said after she was silent for a moment. She raised her head to look at him, hot tears streaming down her face but a fiery glare in her eyes. "If you don't want to end up like me, humiliated and having to watch your pokémon die right in front of you, unable to do anything, I suggest you stay far away from me." she warned him once more. "Better, yet, stay the hell away from me if you intend to stop me." Her glare hardened as she stared at him. "Because I will kill her when I find her again." she hissed. [break][break]

Danny didn't need to go through this sort of thing but Serena's mind had been long made up. Better for him to move on now than attempt to stop her or get caught up in something he didn't belong in. Besides, Serena wouldn't wish what she went through on anyone.

[break][break]

+ DANNY HALL[break]
+ Serena's Outfit[break]
+ xtra notes: bruh, sorry for my edgy child she's going through a lot

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"...i won't try to stop you, sera, but i'm not going to just sit here and let you push me away either."[break][break]

Serena sighed. She forgot how hardheaded he was. Even if it was for Danny's own good he wouldn't take the easy and responsible way out. She was too exhausted to fight him on it though. If he wanted to doom himself to this sort of torture than so be it. She'd done everything she could for him. She could do no more. [break][break]

"i wasn't there, no, but i'm getting there. i'm doing my best to get stronger. just give me time."[break][break]

If there was anything that she had learned recently it was that, "...I don't have time...Danny." her voice cracked and was soft but it was true. She didn't have time for anything anymore. Time was something none of them had. With another sigh she turned her tear stained gaze to the sky. [break][break]

"I don't need you to get stronger." it was true, she'd be handling things herself. "Not for me anyway. You do need to get stronger so that you don't have to go through this" she said as she gestured towards herself, her tone softening for once.

[break][break]

+ DANNY HALL[break]
+ Serena's Outfit[break]
+ xtra notes: bruh, sorry for my edgy child she's going through a lot

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

"i'm getting stronger for us." Danny clarifies and all Serena can do is just stare back at him. Why was he trying so hard? She'd ignored him, pushed him away, hell, she was being an ass to him and she knew it but here he still was. Was it love? That seemed like a fairytale. Something too cheesy to be true. Who'd willingly put up with abuse just because they loved someone?[break][break]

Then her thoughts drifted back to her younger self. Lovesick who had put her heart and soul into her previous relationship. Idiocy. That's what it was. Smarter people would've left. Smarter people wouldn't stand for being treated this way. But Danny...he wasn't going anywhere apparently. [break][break]

It stressed her out, if she was being honest. He clearly deserved better, she just wasn't sure she could be better. Not right now at least. "bet you won't even recognize me in a battle anymore. the team's buffed up quite a bit." his voice snapped her from her thoughts once more and she turned her attention back to him. [break][break]

Was it enough just for your team to be strong? Is that what it took? If that was the case should she have worked harder? Would that have kept Cas alive? Serena tore her gaze from him and bit her trembling lip. She didn't want to cry again. But she also just felt so helpless. She wanted to tell him she was proud of him for working so hard, because she was. This wasn't easy, this transition, but he was making the best of it. [break][break]

But her words caught in her throat. The lump in her throat was so large she felt like she couldn't breathe. "I'm...." she whispered, "I'm sorry." were the words that finally escaped her lips before she hid her face from him once more. She was so tired. So tired of going through an emotional rollercoaster day in and day out.

[break][break]

+ DANNY HALL[break]
+ Serena's Outfit[break]
+ xtra notes: ^.^

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

As her shoulders shake from her sobs and her hands continue to hide her face she cries. Deep. Something heavy from the heart. Arceus, she was so tired but tough acts aside, she also missed having Danny next to her. As much as she didn't have the energy to look after anyone because she couldn't look after herself. [break][break]

In isolating herself, she realized how lonely all of this was making her and she felt so miserable. At times the misery brought comfort and other times it was agony, like today. She'd been an ass to him, but he was still here. Stubbornly so. It didn't make sense, it never made sense, why he would keep choosing her. [break][break]

Other's would've left long before. A question she kept asking herself. He set himself up for so much suffering for her? Someone he dating for only a few fledgling months? The logic wasn't there. But, at the same time, she truly would be lying if she said she didn't desire to have him around. At least right now. [break][break]

Danny took her hand gently, pulling it from her face as she stared back at him. "it's okay, sera." was it? She didn't think so. "you're stuck with me." he says with a smile. Her heart aches as she looks at him before she pulls on the hand he holds. Pulling him down towards where she sat and wrapped her arms around him in a hug. [break][break]

She buried her face in his shirt as her body continued to tremble. "You don't make sense." she stated with a muffled sniffle. [break][break]

[break][break]

+ DANNY HALL[break]
+ Serena's Outfit[break]
+ xtra notes: ^.^

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

Danny doesn't reject her sudden selfishness, or rather he's used to it at this point. He doesn't resist the embrace but instead welcomes it. It'd been a very long time since she'd been in his arms. An extremely long time. In fact, the last time even touched had to be before all of this happened. Before even her little attempt to break up with him that lead to him following her to Rocket. [break][break]

His grip on her tightened as he nuzzled into her neck. Being without something for so long she'd forgotten what it felt like. But now that he was holding onto her like this it felt natural, but in the back of her mind guilt was slowly creeping in, like it always did when she finally felt happy about something. [break][break]

"fuck. i've missed you so much, sera. you have no idea." Danny admitted and Serena just squeezed him more, almost as if she were afraid he'd disappear suddenly. "--rry..." her apology is muffled and soft but as she continues to hold onto him all of her emotions that she'd been feeling for so long started to melt off. [break][break]

A temporary release she was sure, but she was thankful for the reprieve, she wouldn't deny that. "I've missed you too." she echoed after him as she slowly lifted her head up so he could hear her more properly.

[break][break]

+ DANNY HALL[break]
+ Serena's Outfit[break]
+ xtra notes: ^.^

[attr="class","pokeclass"]