ianthe and coronabeth stop in their tracks at the houndoom's aggression. the former puffs out her downy white coat petulantly while the latter fans her tails, embers sparking in hot rage as she wiggles her haunches. they await orders from nikkari, but he is still stunned speechless. 

rewiring his brain and thinking of a hundred and one questions he wants to ask her, most of which would only lead to more questions, until finally, at the end of the road, he reaches a small, thimble-sized mote of disappointment. 

or is it resentment? 

that he was so close to the end of this chapter. the wax had been poured, the signet ready in hand, but before he could stamp it and truly, honestly move on, she is suddenly here. and she is a vexing complication. one that makes him smile.

except that smile is somewhat nervous. the oddly colored houndoom had been bad enough - whatever monster she withdraws looks like it could blast them where they stand. 

"fi, wait. ianthe. crown. stand down." his voice is patient.

"and that's because i'm not ansel, but you know that. just like you know me. so please kindly tell me why you have that thing locked-on me, hm?"

Lulu Flint

☉

nikkari has given up on his ghosts. he hadn't come here chasing dreams, really, but happenstance had led him back to where he thought she was. and while he doesn't believe in signs from the universe, he's an opportunist. when that rogue agent sank his ship, blew up his goods, and killed his men, he'd thought, well, i may as well look for her if i'm going to be here a while.

a silver tongue and some re-established connections with jayden cross have afford him a foothold in hoenn's sect of rocket. which is good, considering galar is in shambles. 

he's yet to return to shipping and processing. there is no such thing as idle hands here and his curiosity has gotten the better of him. the wilds and their distortion rifts intrigue him. he's no explorer, no pioneer, no conquistador, and yet they are alluring in a manner he cannot explain. 

maybe they remind him of her. 

it's funny, the way we can trick ourselves into thinking we manifest our destinies. he comes through the rift and sees her, as plain as day, and all he can do is stop and stare. wonder if it's the crater playing tricks on him. 

but ianthe and coronabeth yip delightedly and prance towards lulu while their master stares, caught completely off guard in, perhaps, the first time in his life. 

Lulu Flint

☉

he really is impressed. all of that dabbing hadn't been posturing at all. hell, not even her fingertips come away sticky, which is impossible when eating something like this. the sugar settles tentatively in his stomach and he grimaces as he sits on the blanket beside her. 

he withdraws a water bottle and washes his hands with half of it before taking a sip himself, swiping inconspicuously at his lips in case there's a chocolate stain left there. 

"just a casualty of war then," he says with an exaggerated sigh. 

he leans back on his hands. coronabeth shakes out her paws daintily before joining him on the blanket, tail tucking as she loafs in front of him. her question makes him look up at the stars. 

"it is and it isn't," he concedes. "i'd be a fool to say it's safer than back home, but i'm actually well-acquainted with danger." gold eyes flicker over her and then back out to the sea. the sun sinks lower on the horizon. "though perhaps not on the alien invasion and dimension-distorting rifts kind."

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

"you heard the woman," he says to the overworked, overheated, completely-over-it worker behind the counter. she rolls her eyes as she turns and mechanically reaches for a cone. the soft serve swirls in thick lines under her practiced hand and after it's been rolled in the sprinkles, it looks picture perfect. 

it's massive and nikkari's palate is already soured at the idea of eating all of that. but he orders a chocolate one for himself with the same treatment and pays. 

the heat bears down on them and unless he wants to end up with melted chocolate all over his hands, he has to keep eating it. he does so with a smile on his face, though that's mostly because he's never seen someone try so hard to look dignified while licking the cheap carnival custard. 

"let's," he says. they pass little stalls on the boardwalk and he stops to purchase a beach towel for the two of them. the chocolate has dribbled all over his hand at this point; the other is tucked against his side, towel rolled up under his arm.

"you must think me such a slob," he says as he tosses the mostly-eaten cone and balled napkins into the nearest trash bin. "but i'm convinced you've struck some deal with a devil to come away clean like that."

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

"who doesn't like ice cream?" he says. he doesn't, for starters. he doesn't particularly care for most sorts of sweets and if he dines on them, they're typically of the dark chocolate variety. but he's not about to turn down the opportunity to get to know yumi better. her liepard has also deemed him an appropriate companion, so who's he to say no now?

he still has yet to find an opportunity to bring up the off-the-books part of their jobs. 

his disliking ice cream doesn't mean he isn't prepared to offer a small mom and pop ice cream place he's heard is delightful, but he's too slow on the draw. yumi seems to have made the decision for them, and so he follows in step with her. hands sink casually into pockets as they stroll. coronabeth still makes a show of her discomfort on the sand. 

"so you're a soft serve kind of gal. noted," he says with an easy grin as they approach the stand shaped like an ice cream cone itself. 

when it's their turn in line he, of course, withdraws his wallet and looks expectantly at her. "what'll it be, miss hasegawa? vanilla or chocolate?"

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

it's as much as he can hope for from an old friend. nikkari is wary, though, as jayden likely is. in their line of work, people are known to change. usually not for the better. some of his old contacts, defects brought into the light, are now six feet under. kanto's influence stretches even into galar. 

'the organization treats me well.' good. nikkari relaxes somewhat. his sentiments are returned in pale eyes, the smoothing of the creases around his eyes. 

"i was overseeing a shipment of goods into harbour. we were attacked by a vigilante. i think. he may have just been a deranged idiot looking for violence." he shrugs. "i've found myself stranded, but from the reports i'm hearing, there's not much to go back to."

he taps his chin. "i find myself in the curious position of returning home, a big fish in a now-small pond or a nobody grasping at straws for opportunity."

his eyes are alight with amusement. years have lapsed, but by the curl of his lips, the timbre of his voice, his old friend would know what calls to him. 

jayden cross

☉

nikkari appreciates fineries. after getting to know yumi over dinner and a bottle of wine, he'd be surprised if she didn't enjoy indulging in luxuries. and if you have money, lilycove's streets are the place to be. it's why he settled where he did. 

"well, i could think of no one more deserving," he says with a tilt of his lips.

coronabeth takes a step forward when the liepard approaches. her tail fans in a rippling wave and nikkari nudges her with his foot, chiding her to relax. he pinches his fingers and pspsps for the liepard, allowing her to catch his scent. 

he knows better than to pet a cat on his own terms.

"somewhat," he replies. "i live here actually, though my property is coveside. less noise over there, i've found." and he likes the sound of the boats swaying in the harbor, likes watching people come and go. 

helps him keep an eye on shipments too. 

"it must be serendipity though. i meant to call you tomorrow to set up that dinner date."

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

they break into the clearing. ianthe and coronabeth drop the façade of diligent soldiers and sit down to lick the ash and brush from their paws. ianthe looks exceptionally cross at the stains on her fur and growls annoyedly until coronabeth helps her. 

alecto returns, crawling out from nikkari's shadow. even she looks exhausted from the adventure. 

"girard's right. we submit our report and return when we have these items in hand." he looks down at his gremlin and tugs one of her tufts. "alecto will be able to lead us back out."

@girard caden maher
CwTMyaXm

☉

he doesn't know what to think of the rift or what might lurk just on the other side. it's probably safer to give it some distance. jayden's doubt only reinforces this idea. 

still, the area surrounding them is fairly deserted, probably due in large part to the rift. he'd rather no keen ears or prying eyes. 

"some ways away? i'd rather not have my back to this thing," he says with a sweeping motion of his hand. "how are you? better off than you would have been in galar, surely." his smile is thin-lipped. 

jayden cross

☉

work keeps him busy. ever since his run-in with jayden cross , his worming his way into this sect of rocket has been much smoother. of course, his properties still needed handling and since sacking his latest property manager, he's fielded numerous calls from aggravated higher-ups. 

infants, unable to manage the mess they've created. 

outside of his beach-view flat, he watches people wander the shores. he'd known lilycove to be a destination town, but he hadn't anticipated just how jarring living in one would be this time of year. it's lively. kinetic. in a far different way from motostoke. 

it's what draws him to the beach. his hair is drawn up, but the back of his neck is still dewy with sweat. one day he'll get used to this region's humidity.

families pack up and leave as the sun dips lower in the sky. later, the beaches will fill again with blankets as fireworks light up the shore, but for now it seems folks are heading inland to grab a bite to eat. 

coronabeth treads carefully on the sand, nose twitching in distaste as her paws sink into the soft ground. ianthe absolutely refused to place a single toe on the beach so he's counting his blessings, smiling bemusedly at her haughtily fluffed tail. 

he lifts his gaze, over the crawl of green summer linen and onto her face, for a brief moment, and then away, and then back again, his own eyes wide and somewhat startled. he still has her card tucked into his wallet. 

"miss hasegawa," he says with a smile, stopping in his tracks. crown pauses and looks curiously from nikkari to yumi. 

"have the festivities brought you to lilycove?" 

Yumi Hasegawa
blep

☉

it's a consolation, at the very least, to know he's left a positive mark after their first meeting. his eyes and his smile betray his delight. on a half-drunk bottle of wine, the professional edges of his candor have fizzled away. her words are softer on the tongue, softer on his ears, and with full bellies and a warm, dimming candlelight between them, they must lean in a little closer to speak. 

his elbows are on the table, sleeves rolled up. he takes the offered card in one hand. his other reaches behind him, for the jacket thrown over his chair, to fish out his wallet. 

he tucks it in front of his credit cards and tosses the black fold of leather onto the table. 

"i'll call on you soon," he promises. the last drop of champagne slips down his throat. the table is bare, most everything else plucked by the expert hands of their server. 

"i've a few loose ends to tie up at work the remainder of this week, but i'll make time the next, if your schedule permits." he's no idea the carnival is rolling into town over the next few weeks or that he'll happen to be on a job when they run into each other in its midst. 

Yumi Hasegawa

☉

yumi takes her time, selecting answers with care. he had envisioned a clever woman when walking through the threshold into the casino, but he hadn't expected cunning. her mask is carefully crafted porcelain and try as he might, he cannot worm his way through any cracks. her pause betrays nothing - only that she cares deeply the direction of their conversation. 

is she simply occupying him as a worthwhile investment? or is she genuinely intrigued by their conversation? 

it poses a challenge, one nikkari is both wary of and excited by. 

"possibly, though i spent most of my time down in motostoke."

their caviar arrives and deep conversation drifts back to the surface, where they chat about the pairing. the bubbles sink into his belly, lapping at his bloodstream. he tells her of his own meager travels, marveling at her own, and when they're not biting into food, they're warding away silence with words. 

by the time he tucks his hands into his napkin and crosses his silverware over his plate, the bottle is nearly gone. their server splits the last pour between the two of them and prepares to fetch a dessert menu per his request. 

"you've been a gracious hostess this evening, miss hasegawa." sometimes answers are gifted after blunt questions. "i won't be affronted," he starts, tracing the rim of his champagne glass with one finger, "but may i ask if you dine often with your patrons?"

with a smile, "so that i might know before i make a fool of myself and offer to take you out to dinner elsewhere, when you're off the clock."

Yumi Hasegawa

☉