Laughter came easily to him. Blue was almost a bit envious of that. “There anything in particular I should make note of?” It was more or less an agreement without actually saying so. She didn’t press the vagueness of his availability. Mostly because she got it. She wouldn’t want to be sniffed out by someone at random, either.[break][break]

“Shouldn't something be in it for me, though?” she asked after a lull of quiet, frowning as she looked over at him. “It's not in my assigned tasks, after all. It would be off the books.” The problem was…Blue didn’t have some big quest, or even all that many wants. Her life was a bit painfully simple in that regard. Not that she was going to tell Bishop this.[break][break]

“Yeah.” She moved acquiesce, stepping around him to yank down the large metal pull handle so that the door would roll upward. “An extra large pizza, as many toppings as I want. A case of red bull, annnddd one, no actually two packs of cigarettes. That’s what I want.”[break][break]

Her hands shoved into her jacket pockets as she watched him, expression straight-faced and mostly unblinking. “Get me that, and I’ll keep you in the loop on what interpol’s been saying.”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] @bishop | m: poke-trafficking[break]


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

Blue’s head tilted to the side in consideration, eyes rolling up and away. “Well maybe not never, but not in a long time.” Definitely not since she was at least a teenager. She noted the slight of disapproval and shrugged in response. Blue didn’t know how to be fun, she wasn’t all too familiar with the concept. Almost as if she’d grown up more beast than girl.[break][break]

She took another swig from her glass, using the same hand holding it to tap at her own forehead. “Fundamentally broken, I think.” Because what other reason for it would there be? She walked herself right into the bulk of her problems, after all.[break][break]

Then the glimmer in Toni’s eyes shifted into something else, and Blue felt the first flutter of nerves under her layers of practiced indifference. Unlike anger, which came to her the easiest of her emotions. This was nervous, and maybe a bit confused as to the other woman’s meaning. For herself? Well, that wasn’t going to do her any good— clearly she’d failed to find fun on her own until now. Why would she suddenly start to apropos of nothing?[break][break]

“How would you..help?” It probably came across as her playing along, but her general aloofness masked the genuine intent behind the question. Blue slouched for a moment, a puff of breath angled upward fluttering the strands of inky blue resting on her forehead. “Maybe you’re right..” Maybe that was what she needed to regain clarity and determination for her sparring.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Antoinette Spina | m: putting on a front[break]


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

Blue met the grin on his face with the slow rise of one brow. “Arson…” Good question. She had to hand it to him–maybe he hadn’t realized the opportunity beforehand to garner intel from her, but he was definitely capitalizing on it now, it seemed.

“So you’re on the lam, then,” she remarked. It was posed like a question, but lacked the upward intonation. Her mind racked the files and memos she’d been exposed to in the brief amount of time she’d been employed with Fortree PD. “Not that I can remember, but” her hand lifted to point at him. More in musing than some sort of confrontation, “that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been one.”[break][break]

Her arms folded across her front and her posture slouched, head rolling to the side to stretch out her neck. “I’m guessing you want me to see what I can dig up?” It wasn’t her currently assigned tasks, though she supposed it was sorta what she was there for, even if he wasn’t her direct superior.[break][break]

She’d probably want to know, if it were her. Identities were a funny thing–she didn’t even know her own original name. Assigned something as a kid based on no more than a medical bracelet.
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] @bishop | m: poke-trafficking[break]


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

She’s poking absently at the bruise that’s bloomed under and around her eye when the voice calls out to her. Gauging the tenderness of the pain there while she waits because she’s got nothing better today and it keeps her alert. Keeps her from dozing off under a nearby tree as she’d like to.[break][break]

She can’t afford to be dinged or chastised for shirking her job, or caught blatantly slacking off.[break][break]

Blue?![break][break]

Older, but an unmistakable cadence. It’s like a bolt lances straight through her. That voice. One she hasn’t heard in years, and was certain she’d never hear again. (She’d done something to make her go away. She didn’t know what, but she had done it.)[break][break]

At first, Blue freezes in place, then turns slowly to face CALLISTA MOON, finger still pressed lightly to the angry violet spill around one wide, rose eye. “Callie..? You’re in Hoenn?”[break][break]

Since when? How? Why is she here now?

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] CALLISTA MOON     | m: sanctuary safeguarding[break]


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

“Guess so,” she replied, frowning a bit as she did so. Blue had never really given it much thought. She worked, she did the things her rocket superiors instructed, and informed on the proper situations. She played her part at the station, and when she wasn’t there, she skulked back to the rings and the cages, or found herself somewhere there was training equipment.[break][break]

Now that she thought of it—she really didn’t have all that much of a useful or interesting life, did she? She willingly stayed within the parameters constructed for her, without question. Even before rocket, it had been that way.[break][break]

Blue took a long, steady swig of her whiskey—let the singe of it mellow on her tongue and then ease down her throat. “Don't think I’ve had fun a day in my life.” Because her life has never been an easy one, and she’s got rage in spades.[break][break]

But wasn't wholly the truth, was it? She could remember better days, distant as they were and still tinged with something somber and dreary. Back when she was a child and had someone she could call friend.[break][break]

The word was a curdled taste on her tongue now. One she tried to repeatedly wash down whenever it arose.[break][break]

“Why?” she asked dryly, rose eyes casting over to the other woman over the crystal rim of her glass. “You got a magic fix all, Toni?” The name rasps out at the end, maybe melded with the edge of a short chuckle. Sparse, but present.


[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Antoinette Spina | m: putting on a front[break]


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

From the way his expression shifted, the answer she gave him seemed to be one he wasn’t really expecting. Maybe it was the uniform skewing things, but Blue didn’t really think she looked much like the sort of person who stayed on the straight and narrow all that well. Or someone who was hellbent on the triumph of justice. Maybe she should take that as a compliment to her half-assed efforts to blend in among the actual officers who wanted to be on the force.[break][break]

Unfortunately, she didn’t really even have the genuine independence to do her own brand of vigilantism. No matter how autonomous she behaved, Blue was no more than a tethered hound to Rocket. Loyal because that sense of stability was offered to her. “Hm? Yeah, I do. Super useful, makes stuff like this possible.” She pointed at the cages. “Guess it is. Fills up my time, anyway.”[break][break]

She wasn’t about to admit it, but the assistance on the last cage was appreciated. Instead, she focused on the question he offered up. Her brows knit together, and she stared down at the yampers in hand as she thought about it.[break][break]

“Yeah, I think so. I mean, obviously there’s cases we’re sent if interpol thinks it’s pressing.” Her eyes flit back up to his, narrowing slightly, though it’s more curiosity than distrust. “Any reason you wanna know?”
[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] @bishop | m: poke-trafficking[break]


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

Even a small praise was a praise, and whether Blue wished to react or not, she could feel herself perk slightly. Over a drink? It felt foolish. Maybe she was more exhausted than she’d thought.[break][break]

Waiting on Toni was no great issue, either. In fact, comfortable as she’d grown, Blue hadn’t realized much time had passed at all. “I’m sure I will,” she replied as she took the glass and looked down at the dark, golden liquid. “Thanks.” She wasn’t picky. In all actuality, this was likely way higher class than the cheap booze she was accustomed to.[break][break]

Blue echoed the sentiment, glasses clinking before she lifted the tumbler to her lips for a drink of her own. The burn was smooth down her throat and she mulled over the taste as she considered the question posed to her. “Andrew has good taste,” she muttered first, glance flitting back over to the bar.[break][break]

She settled back in her seat, then, and set the glass down on the table top. Twisted it idly between her palms. “Train more, usually,” she admitted after a long moment. Go over repetitions until her muscles were on fire, and her arms no longer wanted to swing and her legs no longer wanted to hold her up. Blue snorted, looking back up at Toni. “Probably just like dumping salt in the wound, but you know.”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Antoinette Spina | m: putting on a front[break]


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

She pulled down the second crate, getting a better handle on it than the first crate. She didn’t mind the silence between them, but didn’t necessarily mind him speaking up when he did, either. It had already been a long drive by herself with nothing but her own thoughts to fill up the space.[break][break]

Still, his question had her eyes drifting over to him warily. “Yeah, guess so.” Really confident in that, huh? Really selling that bit, she was. Then her expression shifted, brow lifting as her fingers curled into the cage wiring.[break][break]

Blue didn’t make any sudden move to take down that crate and set it down with the others just yet, though. “Well, I wouldn’t say that I’m a cop doing this work.” One hand lifted to air quote her words. “The job is a placement for the sake of intel, that’s all.”[break][break]

In all honesty, she wasn’t much of a fan of the police force, either. But a gig was a gig, and Blue was just following marching orders. “Does that matter?”

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] @bishop | m: poke-trafficking[break]


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

The corners of her mouth tugged upward again at the casual reply. “Not enough to regret, then. Good.” Blue could be worth betting on–she knew that, and hopefully Toni continued to believe as much as well. [break][break]

Blue’s head rolled side to side, neck cracking in a way that she relished. “Mhm,” she confirmed simply. Though she couldn’t help the snort that slipped loose moments later. “Look like you can handle yourself just fine.” Her tone equally as dry, though slowly it was becoming less sharp and wary.[break][break]

“Don’t think so.” Not that she could recall, anyway. Dropping the spent cigarette, Blue stamped out the lingering smolder with her boot heel. Then tipped Toni a short nod before stepping inside and trudging down the steps.[break][break]

Oh yeah. From the jazz and first glimpse alone– “Definitely never been here.” It was plush and warm, and way too classy for the likes of her. Blue was accustomed to back corner bars and dives that were probably violating several health codes from the sheer amount of accumulated grime on the floors.[break][break]

Not that she’s about to turn tail and leave, though. The idea of a drink had definitely turned more and more appealing on the walk over.[break][break]

“Whiskey, neat.” At least she was straightforward and uncomplicated in the drinking arena. Her hands slipped into her pockets as she wandered over to one of the tables to slip into the cushy, velvet seating. She could practically feel some of the tension unwinding from her limbs on contact. This beat the hard pavement outside by a longshot.


[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Antoinette Spina | m: putting on a front[break]


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

“Just haven’t been around for a bit, is all,” she offered as a sullen excuse, one shoulder rising and falling. And really, she shouldn’t have been back around to begin with, but it was like an addiction she couldn’t help but indulge. She needed the adrenaline rush and the primal thrill of trying to tear into something with just her hands. Nothing to assist her, only her ferocity.[break][break]

Not that she had any reason to justify herself to this woman, she told herself. But the need to do so had suddenly crawled under her skin and settled there like an insatiable itch. What was her interest in Blue? What made her so keen on her success–apart from a lost bet, that was. “You lose much on me?”[break][break]

Blue glanced down the empty street and took a lengthy drag from the cigarette. Let the nicotine smoke percolate in her lungs before exhaling it all in a silvery plume above her head as she looked upward in idle deliberation. “Yeh, sure. Why not? You buyin’?” The corner of her mouth twitched upward, sharp and smirking as she tested her luck. Her head tipped forward in a silent nod for Toni to lead the way. “Murk, by the way.” Best leave it to her alias in the rings for the time being. It hadn’t circulated for a while, so it was up to chance whether Toni recognized it or not.[break][break]

And, well, best if it didn’t get back to Fortree PD that one of their current beat cops was making the rounds here as a participant.

[break][break]

[attr="class","ooc"] Antoinette Spina | m: putting on a front[break]


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