The reality of the situation was this: Jessie really didn't want to show up anywhere in public, let alone the Rocket sub for training. Her grief and anguish was still fresh on her heart, enough to make her confined to bed when she wasn't taking care of Kai.

Her baby cried when she left him with caspian evergreen, who promised to look after him while he got other work done during their intelligence gathering.

She never saw Caspian more serious in his life since after the death of NIKO MANNER. But she was all the more grateful for him and nina larson. The two were constantly checking in on her, even going as far as to make sure she ate and showered. To neglect herself would turn to neglecting Kai.

Jessie showed up to the sub regardless, dark circles and creases clear under her normally bright and cheerful gaze. She seemed dull and dead, bare faced with her hair pulled up sloppily. Her arms covered her chest, looking over at meeting jayden cross's gaze.

He probably thought she looked like shit. She didn't blame him. But this was for Kai, she reminded herself. And for her own well-being.

To beat down and kill whoever took away her happiness.

jayden cross

☉

the person who appears at the entrance is not the same Jessica Manner that jayden remembers. though, it's not to say that they were ever particularly close. as members of rocket, they likely have only met each other in passing. despite their fathers' connections with one another, that didn't necessarily mean that their children were close.

[break][break] still, her connections with the local gang prove to be interesting enough for jayden to pushpast whatever first impressions lay in front of him.

[break][break] "black?" a pause, and then he corrects himself. "ah, manner now, isn't it?"

[break][break] in the line-up, jessie would see a few other recruits that had been called to training:

[break][break] lincoln mcneil. he was an old recruit, but had spent much of his life on smaller missions and behind the scenes. his records indicated that his personality was skittish like a mouse, but when cornered, he could burrow down like a rat. at 15, however, he still had a lot left to learn.

[break][break] julie hart, the orphan of two former league officials. she was adopted by a rocket scientist who was too busy to give her the proper training. as a result, while intelligent, she was often slow in physical combat.

[break][break] heath stone. with absolute 0 relation to ALEXANDER STONE , the young mand had joined the ranks of rocket at age 20, when he was struggling from school debt and dream to become a musician. as a result, he had very little interest in becoming a valuable member of rocket. rumor had it, however, that he had a temper that had yet to be unlocked.

[break][break] and then, of course, there was Jessica Manner . child of GABRIEL BLACK , husband to a former gang leader. mother of one.

[break][break] "get in line." a pause, as jayden waited for them all to be situated together and then he walks in front of them, dragging an iron bat against the floor. "do you know why you're all here?"

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Jessica Manner [break]
recruitment: act i

Jessie felt a sharp pang, almost like a knife being driven deep, flash through her chest as he spoke her name. It was going to haunt her that she'd married her love, but he was taken away.

But she was no longer a Black. She promised to wear the Manner name with pride, despite this hardship.

"Present," she said blandly.

She stood beside the other female recruit, one she didn't know. Only giving her a once over, she didn't spare her another glance unless it was necessary to do so. Instead, she stayed focused on what she was here for today.

The sound of the bat dragging across the hard floor was a nuisance, a scraping sound that left goosebumps running down her skin. Jessie gritted her teeth, holding in a snarky comment as jayden cross walked in front of them.

"You're testing us. Obviously, we have weak points we need to work on, hmm? Otherwise we wouldn't be here."

Jessie wasn't stupid. She knew better. Even if she seemed annoyed or disinterested, she'd use this to her advantage.

jayden cross

☉

julie squeaks, a little startled to see the other recruit stand next to her. though it made sense ‐ girls had to stick together after all!

[break][break] "hi," she whispers to the other. "i'm julie."

[break][break] she jumps again when the ex-beast runs that awful bat across the floor.. almost enough to make her want to cover her ears. but she doesn't. instead she stares at the other with a wide-eyed, admiring gaze. woah. she was so smart!

. . .

[break]

"excellent," jayden said with a nod. "good job, manner."

[break][break] he lifts the titanium metal bat with a swing forward, before having it settle onto his shoulder. he's quick to control the speed as to not crush his own bones.

[break][break] "what do you suppose yours is?"

[attr="class","ooc"] Jessica Manner [break]
recruitment: act i

Jessie, who was typically kind and welcoming, only spared the girl a glance out of her peripheral. Her face remained unchanged, her mouth a straight line as she kept silent.

There was no time for friends.

Jayden said it again. Manner. Each syllable reminded her of her loss, grief brandishing its claws and squeezing her heart. It threatened to break it, rip it to shreds.

She wanted to snap and make Jayden stop it. Stop reminding her of her loss and weakness. However, she knew her place, even if she had been apart of Rocket for over a year.

"My husband. My child. The inability to protect," she said, though her words were soft.

Jessie's gaze fell, staring past Jayden's shoulder as she held back her emotions.

jayden cross

☉

the look that he gives Jessica Manner is long and drawn-out, though should the other take a chance to look in his amethyst gaze, they would find no other feelings reflected in them but her own.

[break][break] "those are outside factors," he says. "they aren't your own."

[break][break] before she can have a chance to redeem herself, his attention turns to the others in the room.

[break][break] "mcneil."

[break][break] 'oh! uh - i get 'fraid easily and have butter fingers but i'm scrappy in a fight.'

[break][break] "hart."

[break][break] 'ah - my parents - i mean, sorry, that's not about me, sorry! i mean - i'm not very good at -'

[break][break] "stone."

[break][break] 'i don't give a shit about anyone else besides me, but i don't think that's a bad thing.'

[break][break] jayden sighs. "not wrong, but not correct either. all of you - " he points. "lack combat ability. today we are going to fix it."

[break][break] with his bat, he points to two of them. "stone and manner, you're up."

[attr="class","ooc"] Jessica Manner [break]
recruitment: act i

Typically, Jessie wouldn't allow someone like jayden cross to speak to her like that. Talk over her with power and refuse to let her answer.

However, she had to remind herself where she was right now. She wasn't in her gang's territory. She was on Rocket soil. Here, those who had power ranked over everyone else.

However, she made her displeasure known with a tch, glaring at him as the others were given a chance to speak up.

And then she was called to the front, with one of the other boys in the line. Jessie stepped up, baring a stony gaze at both Jayden and the kid.

jayden cross

☉

the musician obediently steps up to the plate, though there is nothing quite obedient about his gait. if anything, the way that he walked forward lazy, unimpressed. he folds his hands behind his head and yawns — "so, what we doin' today boss?"

[break][break] another person who might feel irritated by the nonchalant way that he was spoken to, but jayden betrays nothing as he hands them both a metal bat. full of titanium, both are heavy in their weight.

[break][break] "you two will battle against each other for five minutes, or until i call it. the first to get knocked off their feet is the loser."

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Jessica Manner [break]
recruitment: act i

A bat was handed over. It dragged Jessie's arm down for a moment before she realized that it was heavier than it looked, adjusting her grip and holding it with a stronger grip. A thought creeped into her head.

"I don't like where this is going."

And she sure as hell was going to beat the every living shit out of Jayden if he was going to hurt her in the process, whether or not he was of hiring rank than her. She had a baby to take care of, and if she got mutilated, she was going to raise hell.

"Fine," she said, taking the bat and dragging it behind her as she took her stance on the opposite side of the field.

"Whenever you make the call."

jayden cross

☉

violet eyes drag over to the cotton candy-haired youth. "stone. careful — i want no un-needed trips to the infirmary."

[break][break] the boy drags the bat up, propping it on his shoulder. "aw boss, you think so highly of me."

[break][break] jayden steps back, allowing the two to take to the field. pushing two fingers into his mouth, he elicits a sharp whistle.

[break][break] heath carries a smug smile as looks at Jessica Manner, sauntering forward, but otherwise doing little. "alright babe, let's get this over with. beat me up, and i can get back to my dorm to nap."

[attr="class","ooc"] Jessica Manner [break]
recruitment: act i