rocket has not been kind to danny. but then again, has it ever been kind to anyone?[break][break]

grueling trainings and missions aside, rocket is not where he wants to be in five years. to think it all happened because of love.[break][break]

upsetting, to say the least.[break][break]

but like usual, danny's bright and positive personality shines through as he steps into the training facility.[break][break]

"hey! jayden, right? i'm danny."

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

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

whatever may be inflicting nagi with stress, guilt, or burdens otherwise unseen, danny truly feels for his friend.[break][break]

hoenn is not a kind place. nagi doesn't have nostalgia or family to offset all the bad; all he has is danny, presumably.[break][break]

"did..."[break][break]

should he ask? yes. nagi is his friend, after all.[break][break]

"did something happen since you got here?"

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

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

danny listens intently, chuckling at her story and nodding whenever appropriate. he is, as usual, an attentive listener even while preparing their dinner.[break][break]

"it's always easier to order, yeah, but home-cooked food just hits different, you know?"[break][break]

with the rice prepared and cooking, he moves to start preparing the vegetables. his hands move adeptly in precise slices before dunking all of them into the boiling pot.[break][break]

"my parents weren't home a lot when i was younger so my brother and i ended up cooking a lot. learned most of it through cooking shows."[break][break]

he glances up every now and then to steal glances at her.[break][break]

"do you have any siblings?"

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

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

maybe danny should turn to help his partner. PARALYSIS hits them and he can't help but sigh and call out another pokemon.[break][break]

vikavolt buzzes to life, fluttering in the air only to focus in on the enemy.[break][break]

"shoot your gunk at them."[break][break]

vikavolt's STICKY WEB splashes out, looking to cover and trap the ranger and his pikachu.

[attr="class","ooc"]Rico Bassanello ollie morales[break]

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

danny nods, taking in what nagi says at face value. but a part of him is pushed to pry just a little bit if only because he feels as though something is greatly bothering his friend.[break][break]

"that's the thing, though. it's easy for us to tell ourselves we could've done more. that we can do more."[break][break]

he nods, wise and benevolent.[break][break]

"it's okay to have done just enough."

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

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

not the pikachu versus team rocket...[break][break]

danny watches as the fight kicks off with a two-on-one situation. not exactly fair but it's not like team rocket plays fair in the first place.[break][break]

"you got it, bud?"[break][break]

but he shrugs, realizing the chances of rico losing a two-on-one is really low.[break][break]

"yeah, you got it. i'm gonna focus on getting the rest of these off!"[break][break]

so he turns back to usher his poliwrath to continue yoinking shellders off.

[attr="class","ooc"]Rico Bassanello ollie morales[break]

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

danny returns the waxy wave with ease. sherlock's a cutie.[break][break]

"oh yeah. did your team clear it?"[break][break]

a couple of danny's friends had participated in the tea room event. he decided to skip, personally, but only because he was too busy and would likely have failed as well.[break][break]

how did danny start gitting gud? truthfully, only after rocket. but that's not something he can share with nagi.[break][break]

"uhh i don't think there was ever a turning point, if that makes sense? i've always liked watching battles and it helped that my parents gave me a pokemon early on."[break][break]

he remembers his battles with Greyson Connors. they started off weak and each battle progressively became harder and harder.[break][break]

"why are you asking? you tryna' git gud?"

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

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

"easy to remember. hard to crack. much like me."[break][break]

shut up, danny hall.[break][break]

despite what he said earlier, he isn't actually making them gourmet instant noodles. he has enough groceries to make them a proper meal: beef stew on rice.[break][break]

""oh! thanks. i moved in not too long ago."[break][break]

why did he say that? now he has to commit to the lie.[break][break]

his dedenne waddles over to crawl up his leg and onto his shoulder, NUZZLING gently into her trainer's neck.[break][break]

"so, you can't cook at all? no judgment, just curious."

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

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

it doesn't take them too long to get to his apartment in rustboro. well, it's an airbnb, really, because the job has him traveling a lot and it's not often he finds himself in one place for too long.[break][break]

"make yourself at home. that's dee. she's friendly but don't let her get into your hair or she'll NUZZLE you."[break][break]

he points over to the couch where a small dedenne sits right in the middle, between the cracks of the cushions. the electric-type waves at kat.[break][break]

the kitchen has an open bar which he slips behind to start preparing dinner.[break][break]

"password to the wifi is DANNYHALL, all caps, no space."

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

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

"man, you wish."[break][break]

actually, maybe they both would because being proficient with a sword sounds awesome. imagine all the duels they could do and all the scenes they could reenact.[break][break]

knowing his friend well enough, danny reaches a hand out to slap nagi on his shoulder.[break][break]

"no prob! you can make it up to me with food after this."[break][break]

he looks around them at all the space they have.[break][break]

"so! what would you like to know from the prodigal kid himself?"

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

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

"you're right. i'll binge it over the weekend."[break][break]

it's not like he has anything better to do. besides, he actually wants to catch up so he can talk about it with her. it's just another way for him to feel closer, he supposes.[break][break]

"dinner?"[break][break]

what he really wants to ask is: a date?[break][break]

"can't promise it'll be any good, but i can cook for you. gourmet instant noodles and all that."

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

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

danny, too caught up in watching the one wingull flying way above him, misses young nagi's approach before it's too late.[break][break]

his phone bings with a text, and as he reads it, he squints.[break][break]

"what the fuck?"[break][break]

only to have half a pile of sand splash against the back of his legs. he turns, kicking in return without even thinking. his results in a much larger splash than nagi's poor attempt.[break][break]

"how did you get this close without me hearing?"

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

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