before he could answer nina larson's question to comment that he believes them to be ultra beasts, the ship alights, powering up as a scene flickers to life.[break][break]

"huh?"[break][break]

are those...megalopolans?[break][break]

he turns to look at freya morningstar.[break][break]

"hear what?"

[attr="class","ooc"]nina larson freya morningstar Toshiaki Macallan[break]

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

"good point."[break][break]

no better place to change things than from within.[break][break]

"does that mean you're going to be working for the government? holy."[b/][break][break]

he laughs.[break][break]

"i'd contribute to your salary..."

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

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

their mission is clearer this time. simpler in a way yet equally dangerous if not more.[break][break]

"are those eggs?"[break][break]

he calls over freya morningstar's shoulder, equally disgusted by their smell.[break][break]

"not sure if they're rotten or not. best leave them, i think."

[attr="class","ooc"]nina larson freya morningstar Toshiaki Macallan[break]

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

"yeah, yeah!"[break][break]

no, it wasn't so close at all, but he chuckles all the same because it's all meant to be in good fun. there's no real loser here when it all ends with them drinking hot chocolate together. even now, the thought of it warms him.[break][break]

he pulls up his mask, mirroring her grin.[break][break]

"let's cut straight to the hot choc. come on, i owe ya."

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

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

and so, the tiebreaker approaches. who will end up victorious and who will end up buying the other person a nice cup of hot chocolate? they will soon find out.[break][break]

"go!"[break][break]

on her mark, he tips forward.[break][break]

this time, his mamoswine joins them. it slides down after and its weight allows it to easily slide by them, taking into first place.[break][break]

"keep up, nina!"[break][break]

he shouts over his shoulder, laughing.

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

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

"no way."[break][break]

for a few moments danny's convinced nagi's tugging his arm, that this is a joke of some kind even if it's not a very funny one. but the realization soon dawns on him that his friend is in fact being serious.[break][break]

"your boss, one of the harshest critics of the league...is joining the league?"[break][break]

he laughs.[break][break]

"holy shit."

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

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

danny throws caution out the window this time because he wants to win; that spark of competition shining as bright as the snow that awaits them.[break][break]

his board slides down the hill without much resistance, snow scattering up at him as he weaves left and right to avoid the trees. though his mind is set on winning, he does throw glances back every now and then to make sure she's okay. the last thing he wants is for her to hit a tree or something.[break][break]

who will make it back down first?[break][break]

Sse7Ql9e

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

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

vague and nondescript likely done on purpose to make it clear to him that there are still boundaries between them. he doesn't push any further, though it's not as though he had pushed much in the first place. or at all, really.[break][break]

"okay! yeah, no worries. whenever we're both free, then."[break][break]

which may or may not be soon, depending on how their work schedules line up.[break][break]

"thank you for spending the night, by the way. i really enjoyed it."[break][break]

he picks up the rest of his toast and crunches down on it. after a few moments, he speaks up again.[break][break]

"i enjoy spending time with you in general, actually."

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

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

[attr="class","icon"]

danny reaches out to grab Toshiaki Macallan by his shoulder, jerking him back before pointing past them in the near distance at approaching NIHILEGO.[break][break]

"it isn't just them we'll be facing!"[break][break]

turning back to freya morningstar, he cringes at the sight of her odd mutation but realizes the urgency of the situation they find themselves in.[break][break]

"we don't have time. we'll get you looked at once we're safe."[break][break]

he makes a promise before mounting nina larson's milotic. he tries to get Toshiaki Macallan on board as well but who knows if the athlete will comply.[break][break]

regardless, he recalls his centiskorch before yelling out at his two water-types still fending off wave after wave of pokemon.[break][break]

"cover our retreat!"[break][break]

wX|IrC|G

[attr="class","bottom"]nina larson freya morningstar Toshiaki Macallan[break]

"deal."[break][break]

he finds that there isn't really a losing situation here. more of a win-win.[break][break]

it takes his mamoswine far too long and far too much effort to make it back up to the top. when it finally reaches, it's out of breath, panting as though it had just run a marathon.[break][break]

"take it easy, big guy."[break][break]

he chuckles as he pats his mamoswine before moving to buckle in.[break][break]

"okay! let's go in three, two, one..."[break][break]

and he's off, tilting forward before sliding down the hill. his only goal this time is to be faster than her.

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

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

if danny had been a little more confident in himself, then maybe he would've registered the disappointment in her voice. but he's too caught up in his own guilt to even notice.[break][break]

"are you sure? i mean, you can stay longer if you want, no rush."[break][break]

don't ramble don't ramble don't ramble—[break][break]

"i gotta leave after breakfast, though. which...now that i'm saying that i realize it doesn't really make sense for you to stay. do you have any plans later?"[break][break]

shit.

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

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

"oh it's recent? guess i can forgive you in that case."[break][break]

he's joking either way. he could never stay mad at nagi for too long; in fact, it would be hypocritical of him to considering how he's kept his affiliation with team rocket a secret for over a year now.[break][break]

it's why he lets the topic carry on without much more of a comment.[break][break]

"the council? not really. i know their names but that's about it. why do you ask?"

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

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

[attr="class","icon"]

feeling an instictive pull at the sight of the expedition team in danger, he wastes little time in calling out reinforcements. his seismitoad and poliwrath fan out like trained soldiers, one moving to intercept the school of veluza heading for nina larson while the other moving to help Toshiaki Macallan.[break][break]

he cannot have them getting hurt, at least not while he can do something about it.[break][break]

but perhaps it's his PARANOIA but as he peers down into the spiraling abyss, he feels a sudden sense of urgency.[break][break]

"we've attracted too much attention! we need to leave!"[break][break]

🗺️ DANNY HALL's experiences with surfing in slateport's splashfest must be of some help, &/or his focus on ensuring that the one's he cares for are well must be explored.

[attr="class","bottom"]nina larson freya morningstar Toshiaki Macallan[break]