[attr="class","maskymask"]

as ridiculous as this getup feels, he knows it's vital that his identity stays hidden. he's playing a dangerous game enough as is.[break][break]

doing his best to quell his worries and anxieties, he bounces his leg in anticipation, waiting for the signal from his emolga.[break][break]

and sure enough, it comes. the night sky is soon painted with a DISCHARGE, alerting danny to their location. so he runs.

[attr="class","ooc"]mint frost[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-emolga"]

[newclass=".maskymask"]--accent:#868775; [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","maskymask"]

the training rocket provided may very well prove to be a double-edged sword. prior, danny would've never taken the leap to do something as dangerous as this. but with time, training, and bloodshed, he's understood that this needs to be done.[break][break]

his talk with nagi miwa a few days ago has helped him make the leap.[break][break]

so he finds himself waiting by a local jewelry store he knows is owned by people old enough to be his grandparents. they're likely asleep elsewhere, so this mission should be a piece of cake for whatever rocket is assigned.[break][break]

he hopes it won't be one he knows.

[attr="class","ooc"]nina larson[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-chandelure"]

[newclass=".maskymask"]--accent:#868775; [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".maskymask .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

when she turns to scan the area the same way he did, he carefully watches the bartender, suddenly all too suspicious and uncomfortable.[break][break]

did someone tip them off?[break][break]

his hand slithers to the holster around his thigh, fingers brushing over red capsules before landing on one. he doesn't push it quite yet; thankfully so as the man they've been instructed to talk to makes his way out the toilet, drunk as ever as he stumbles over to his corner booth.[break][break]

breathing a sigh of relief, his hand raises back to the bar.[break][break]

"fuck. okay, he's over by the corner."

[attr="class","ooc"]nina larson[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vikavolt"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

yeah, the slaking does not smell particularly nice. even if he's smelled far worse, it does little to numb the odor that's oozing from this thing.[break][break]

"it's not dead, right?"[break][break]

evidently not as it chokes on a snore, coughing a few times before falling back to its peaceful state.[break][break]

his swellow isn't even in the general vicinity anymore. smart bird.[break][break]

"rock paper scissors to see who has to move it?"

[attr="class","ooc"]@nani[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-swellow"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

danny accepts the handshake, returning one firmly.[break][break]

"the one and only."[break][break]

to be fair, there could not have been that many danny halls in rocket. surely not.[break][break]

his eyes trail over to the stock of weapons, eyeing a few blades in particular.[break][break]

"so! what's on the agenda today? weapons training?"

[attr="class","ooc"]jayden cross[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vikavolt"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

"i'm always prepared."[break][break]

to lose? come on, danny.[break][break]

but it seems that may be the case as she hits the target on her first throw. he blinks, sharing a look of wonder with the booth patron.[break][break]

"holy. alright."[break][break]

after returning her high five, he reaches for an axe, spinning it in his hand in a way only a weapons expert or a nerd would be able to (the latter in his case), and lobs it at the target.[break][break]

"shit."[break][break]

he misses.

[attr="class","ooc"]CALLISTA MOON[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

the smallest of smiles graces danny's features when he hears her order. it makes him reminisce, thinking back to his uni days in galar where he'd drink until the early hours of dawn. it's what influences his order.[break][break]

"beer's fine. stout, if you have it."[break][break]

but now's not the time to reminisce. the smile fades as he subtly glances around the space around them.[break][break]

quietly, he mutters to nina: "i don't see him."

[attr="class","ooc"]nina larson[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-vikavolt"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

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[newclass=".danny .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

"nah, we aren't. i'm not nearly as mean as you."[break][break]

banter aside, they really are nothing alike. where she does everything for herself, he would forsake his own well-being if it means being able to help others. ironic, really, that it's one of the reasons why he finds himself in rocket.[break][break]

her smirk is met with a brief chuckle that might have sounded more awkward than intended.[break][break]

"no awful secrets here." he smiles, lying. "at least none interesting enough to keep."[break][break]

too engrossed in their conversation, danny doesn't even realize until he reaches for plates that everything's done. so he plates, then offers one to her.[break][break]

"okay. dinner's ready."[break][break]

beef stew on rice.

[attr="class","ooc"]Katherine Fairburne[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

nagi is still here, sure, but for how long? how long until whoever ran into nagi inevitably orders the middling web-novelist to be taken out? what if danny's the one assigned to do it?[break][break]

his mind races with thoughts and concerns but one stands above all:[break][break]

what the fuck are you doing, danny?[break][break]

and also:[break][break]

fuck rocket.[break][break]

danny can't leave but that doesn't mean he can't fight them. slowly, but surely, another path in his future carves.[break][break]

"true, true. no one does it better than you, a fellow nerd. actually, i'd argue an even bigger nerd."[break][break]

he kicks sand in return only to reach over to slap nagi on his shoulder.[break][break]

"come on. wanna battle?"

[attr="class","ooc"]nagi miwa[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

danny has tons of pictures of his pokemon. some candid, some posed, but the majority of them look derpy as heck which is actually fitting for a trainer like danny.[break][break]

maybe he'll show it to callie after axe throwing. if she wins, of course (which is likely).[break][break]

so, they take up their spots at their axe-throwing station. a bunch of polished axes lay on the bench in front of them. ahead of them stands a target, ready to have axes thrown at it.[break][break]

"wanna bet? first one to hit the middle wins?"

[attr="class","ooc"]CALLISTA MOON[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

dustin would've worked because it also sounds like an adorable name that would fit a person like danny.[break][break]

"uhh, no, i haven't, but they're really pretty!"[break][break]

where she hesitates to pluck one, he just does it with ease, holding it between fingers. still under the influence of alcohol, it makes it that much easier to offer her the flower.[break][break]

"for you. i think it'd look good behind your ear, or whatever."

[attr="class","ooc"]giada morgan[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote b, .pizzabox blockquote i"]color:var(--accent) [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .top"]background-color:var(--accent); padding:10px; height:15px; background-image:url(https://image.ibb.co/dMFuMc/flower.png); background-repeat:no-repeat;background-position:bottom right; width:430px; margin:0px auto; border:1px solid #232323; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]

[attr="class","danny"]

talked. danny isn't foolish enough to believe that's all there is to it. in his experience, there's little talking involved especially when dead bodies are involved.[break][break]

his heart sinks for his friend.[break][break]

"shit, nagi."[break][break]

"don't apologize. i just...i just—"[break][break]

i just wish i could've done something.[break][break]

but another place, another time, and danny could've been the one pulling the trigger. the one doing the 'talking'.[break][break]

"shit."

[attr="class","ooc"]nagi miwa[break]

[attr="class","pkspr pkmn-dedenne"]

[newclass=".danny"]--accent:#ada3ab; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny blockquote"]width:350px; margin:0px auto; font-size:12px; line-height:15px; border-radius:0px 0px 10px 10px; border-top:none; padding:30px 50px; [/newclass]

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[newclass=".danny .ooc"]border-top:1px solid #222; padding-top:15px; text-align:center; margin-top:15px; [/newclass]

[newclass=".danny .ooc a"]font:bold 15px 'Poppins';[/newclass]