"hah." she harks the laugh, deftly moving with the sea of shaking bodies around them. most of the cultists near them are starting to give them a bit of a berth, sane enough to know that the two gals at this epicenter are dangerous. or at least, really fuckin' annoying. 

blue eyes search the captain's and she wishes she knew her well enough to understand what's rolling under those silver storms. but she runs her tongue over her teeth and she's looking at parker in a way that makes her gut roll. and not like she's been punched. 

or maybe - fuck, it kinda is like that. 

someone crashes into them, throwing kinetic energy between them, and she's no longer stuck there, panting and drinking in all the sweat and salt around her. she can circle, laugh at skyler's attitude. get closer. 

"speakin' o' bar brawl - i scare ya off last time? haven't seen ya 'round wayland's place." she gets close enough to throw a punch at her shoulder. 

it's teasing, gentle, but, like, parker and skyler gentle. 

skyler dross

☉

the punch and the consequent explosion of copper in her mouth would have made her angry, but all she can do is smile like a goddamn idiot. the cracks of her teeth stain red and skyler's gaze gives her goosebumps - all the hope in the world that their single night together hadn't been a fluke. 

the laughter is rough, rubbed raw with saltwater and mussels. it's music to her ears and it's amazing she can hear it over all the jeering. the drunken swaying. limbs are everywhere and the fucker who smacked her in the face still hasn't paid the price. 

her eyes go searching for him, but then the sea witch is there and she's calling her that stupid nickname and looking at her in a way that's really not fair. 

go drunk, you're home, she wants to say - starts to say - but another fist comes flying and she ducks with a grunt. 

"just answering the siren's call," she says, leaning in closer. 

these people are all lunatics, but that's not exactly surprising. the woman they unknowingly worship is standing amidst them with liquor on her breath and a primal mischief inside of her. if parker didn't know any better, she'd think skyler's making this happen. 

she's still not entirely convinced that's not the case. 

"for fuck's sake," she snarls, shoving an oafish broad off of herself and finding a small bubble of peace amidst the rolling crowd.

"these kumbaya parties always this rowdy?"

skyler dross

☉

parker, on the other hand, is not here after haphazardly following whims and fancies. as soon as the rumors started, she'd kept an ear down, thinking, this is fuckin' crazy and why does it matter so much to me? 

but it matters that there's someone else out there like her. not fucking around in those rings for the fun of it. but because she needs it. 'cause they need it. and starved for anything like that connection, as much as she won't admit it, she looks. 

and finds a fuck ton of crazies instead. faustus is overhead, circling, looking for that wild mane of gold. parker figures she must be here. it's human nature to be curious about these sorts of things. especially when you're part of the god they bleed for and keen to. 

but it seems that all who are here do not worship the titan and its place in this world. her shoulder's jostled, twisted wrong, as someone heavy gets thrown at her. she shoves back, lips curling, and raises a finger at the aggressor. 

another limb comes flying, but this time it connects with her cheek and sends her neck snapping to her left. 

landing her eye to eye with the captain herself. 

and despite the brawl pit she's found herself in, she grins. 

skyler dross

☉

it's an easy thing, putting bax out of her mind. maybe after this, the fucker will get his shit together and parker won't have to finish off what jayden started. or maybe he'll skip town. bottom line is he more than likely won't be parker's problem for a very long time, which would be sweet as hell. 

not 'cause beating his ass makes her feel guilty at all. 

she snags a table. doesn't have to wave a server down 'cause millie's already there popping that tab on a pbr. parker reaches out and tilts her head towards jayden. 

"he'll take one too. and give us a minute on the food, babes." millie flashes a knowing smile at parker and turns away with just a little more sashay to her step than before. 

"so," she says and takes a swig, "how ya been?"

jayden cross

☉

the reason he remains a delinquent, and why he might still after all this bullshit, is that his mom's medical debt is crushing him. it's not a secret, really. written all over the ledgers from whatever shark that's handed him some cash. she likes to think maybe they all feel a little bad for his fucked situation. 

then again, they're usually the ones that come knock-knock-knocking on her door to go collect. 

it's easy for 'em to forget when someone else is out drawing the blood. and it's easier for most everyone that does what parker does. really, bax is the only one who gets under her skin. the thorn in her side, reminding her she's not entirely in rocket's pocket. 

a blessing and a nightmare rolled up into one. 

she holds the other half out a moment longer and then shrugs when he doesn't take it. she crams it in her mouth and dusts the powder off on her thighs. the frown is a bit comical, what with her swollen cheeks, when jayden talks. 

"good job?" she says after she swallows. "mighta been better off dead, honestly," she adds with a shake of her head. 

"'nyway, job's done. an' shit, we're close to my favorite place." dollar pbr and some questionable chuck - no better way to end a night. 

jayden cross

☉

somehow, with his arm twisted in very much the wrong direction and blood pouring down the front of his face from a broken nose, the fucking thumb is what gets to be too much for him. baxter's expression goes blank and then his eyes roll in the back of his head, tongue lolling as he completely collapses. 

parker at least pities him enough to roll him to the side with her boot. no use letting him choke on his own blood.

"already broke the fucker's arm. you had to take his thumb too?"

she'd missed the animalism. she'd missed the calculation, the conditioned programming that had jayden gauging whether or not she was a threat. it's just another day on the job. a rougher one, sure. 

she has a soft spot for bax. reminds her of herself. if only he was more clever.

she takes another donut for the road, but this one she splits and holds out to jayden. "you wanna grab a drink? could use a beer and a burger or somethin'."

jayden cross

☉

this is the cold calculation of a beast. this is something not-quite-human. someone parker could have been, could still be. she toes that line sometimes, when the blood is roaring in her ears and the sound of sallow flesh - loosening under each blow - the sound of being unmade makes her dizzy. drunk. blissful. 

it's awful, watching it, and she's glad jayden's so focused on the task at hand that he can't see the look in her eyes. 

she rocks back on her heels and springs up. dips a hand in the open donut box and grabs one while she fiddles with the lockbox on the table. it's locked, clearly, but remus is quick to take care of it. 

"everything we need's in here," she says around a bite of a glazed donut. 

"he'll keep his word," she says as she thumbs the bills. just in case. over her shoulder, she locks eyes with him. stay. quiet. and says, "'cause he knows you actually have the balls to finish the job."

bax looks back up at jayden and nods as best he can against the knife on his throat. 

jayden cross

☉

the hand wraps spread over her knuckles had cushioned the blow for herself, but damn if her hand doesn't ache. she wants to give it a shake and probably would've if jayden weren't there, but instead she clenches her teeth past the pain and swallows it. 

bax instantly stops his swearing over his broken body parts and clams up, realizing that might be the least of his worries here. he looks past the blade at his throat, past jayden, and at parker, eyes wide and pleading. 

stop making me look bad, fucker. 

"b-b-bills. i-i meand do pay, i swear. dat's why i started th-dis side hustle. parkher, tell him. dell him i'm good for it!" 

his broken nose isn't helping his 'not sound like a baby' act. she crouches down to his level, knees bent, balancing on her toes. contemplates with her hand on her chin - his blood a brilliant spray of white on her arm. 

"think he'll be more manageable without a tongue."

if he could whiten even more, he would have. he shudders back. tears stream down his cheeks. "got anudder loan. shit. in da lockbox. all dere."

jayden cross

☉

dispatched of his pokemon, baxter turns to the only logical thing. parker nears and he goes to slug her. he's a big guy and if he does manage to hit, he'll do some damage. but this ain't parker's first rodeo and she'd seen that fist the minute they started this fight. 

she dodges to the side; hands come up and his elbow catches in the curve between her thumb and index finger. there's a horrible crack, followed by an angry bellow. 

to give him credit, she'd expected him to drop like the baby he is, but instead another fist comes towards her. she tenses reflexively and grunts as his knuckles connect with the side of her ribs. other than that, she doesn't flinch. 

"ehh, park, park, park. c'monnn."

she straightens, but her shoulders stay tensed, waiting for a strike that (probably) won't come. 

"you done?" she says, arching a brow.

the crackle-pop of fire interrupts them and bax looks past her, face paling. parker thinks he's scared enough, but then remembers her promise to jayden. she sighs, flexes her hand, and slams a clenched fist into his nose. 

blood sprays and he wheels backwards, falling onto his ass and wailing like a baby. 

parker sighs and looks back at jayden, expecting he'd have finished the two pokemon with ease. 

jayden cross

☉

"mul, gimme a hand with this, wouldja?" she tosses some scrap over to the blaziken. the bird turns it over in his hands. smoke curls from his beak and he whistles; a thin stream of flame drenches the metal, quickly turning it white hot. parker leaves him to the task, sauntering around nina to grab a leather bag to toss the parts in. 

"eh," she mutters, really only half-listening. she strings the bag over her shoulder, wipes her hands off as best she can, and goes over to admire amulius' handiwork. the shit ain't new by any means, but damn if it doesn't look good.

"don't sell yourself short here, sweetheart. most people, see, they dunno me, but you?" she pats down her own sides and double-checks the cash in her back pocket. her gaze slips past the twenties and onto nina. "you got a reputation." whispers, really. names get passed around on the bars rocket strangles. 

"think i hit you up just 'cause ya pretty?" that half-grin breaks over parker's face. she tosses the leather bag to nina. "c'mon. we're gonna push the rest o' this shit on some idiots. and then we're gonna steal a nitrous engine."

nina larson

☉

the rum spreads warm through her. she sips neatly, knowing full fuckin' well she can't handle her liquor. and even though it wouldn't be the end of the world if the guy gets off one more day with the cash, she'd rather this be a tight and clean job. so she can move on to the next one. 

'cause there's always another. 

she narrows her eyes at him, knowing full well that look on his face. "don't make my life harder," she complains. "kid's got two grand on 'is head right now. ronnie wants it collected by tomorrow night. and i got shit to do." a lie, that last part, but whatever.

KING WAYLAND

☉

no more need for talk. he'd given her all the permission she didn't need. so she snubs her nose and jerks her chin to amulius. the blaziken kicks the door in. wood blasts out, singeing at the edges. parker goes in first, with amulius and remus shoulders in behind her. 

there are some donuts on a table. a bowl of punch. the two men and one woman before them look startled and for one long second, nothing happens. baxter is standing, donut halfway to his mouth, but it's frozen in time. recognition flickers and then time starts moving again. 

"fuck." the donut falls to the ground and he scrambles for the pokeballs at his side. 

amulius is there instantly, knocking them aside and into remus' waiting arms. the other two manage to draw out a shelgon and a banette. parker looks over her shoulder. 

"you got them?"

jayden cross

☉