[center][h2]Daycare[/h2]
Collab with [@Phoenix][/center]
Haven was still bundled up in bed, surrounded by her Pokemon. Her eyes were puffy and a bit red, but the tear tracks had at least been wiped away. The tablet was propped up on the small table next to the bed, leaning against the lamp. An old Johto program played on it.

The show paused and the screen shifted, alerting her to a phone call. Her mother's face once again appeared. Blink's green vine entered Haven's vision, hitting the decline button. The screen shifted back to the television show, still paused. Blink hit the play button and retracted his vine.

Mrs. James had called Haven down for lunch not too long ago, her voice muffled from the door. Haven had remained silent. Guilt gnawed at her for it – the matronly woman had gone through the trouble of preparing lunch and it seemed a waste to not eat it – but Haven couldn't bring herself to get out of bed. Mrs. James had tried for a few more moments, but had eventually assumed Haven was asleep – though there was a note of worried doubt in her voice. Then she'd left to go back down the stairs.

A loud metallic whine cut through the thin walls of the Day-care. A click snapped soon after. Had the Rangers returned? Loud boot steps hit the wooden floor and came to a sudden stop. The low rumble of a voice passed through the building. Haven could feel more than she could understand. The papery tone of Mrs. James followed.

The boot steps began again. They seemed to grow louder. He was getting closer. What did he want?

Blink hit pause on the tablet again and tipped it so it was facedown on the table. Haven sank deeper under the covers and closed her eyes.

The footsteps stopped. [i]Smack.[/i] It was like a single pebble was chucked at the center of the door. The distinct sound of a single knuckle meeting wood was the climax to the dread of having to deal with the Ranger. [b]"Ms. Dao?"[/B] the familiar rumble rippled under the door.

[i][color=coral]How did he get my name?[/color][/i]

[b]"May I come in? I need to speak with you.”[/b]

One eye peeked open. It wasn't the Ranger. There was a gravelly warmth to his tone. Why was Forrest back?

She looked beside her, meeting Cloak's eyes. The Scrafty shrugged. She looked to Lace. The little Corsola was still buried in Forrest's blanket. Haven sighed, resignation seeping through her. She guessed she sort of owed the guy.

With sluggish movements, Haven pushed at the comforter and eased herself into a sitting position.

[color=coral]"Yeah, I'm decent,"[/color] she called back. Actually, she probably looked like a mess. But… he'd seen her look worse. She ran a hand through her hair, fingers working through tangles that had already formed.

The doorknob turned slowly, suspicious that she was entirely decent and not trying to put herself together at the last moment. A chirp squeaked from the hinges as the door pushed into the room slowly.

Forrest stood there, no more dressed than when he left and with his forearm against the right side of the doorframe. His body was slouched over slightly as to fit his whole stature in the frame. His hair was unraveled from the braid he'd done earlier that morning. Now it was tight waves around his face and over his left shoulder. His eyes focused on the foot of the bed closest to the door and then slowly worked up to where Haven sat. He was still shirtless.

[color=coral][i]What does this dude have against shirts?[/i][/color]

[b]"You look better,"[/b] he said, genuinely expressing relief for her current - though disheveled - appearance. But she was alive to [i]be[/i] disheveled.

[color=coral]"I looked like the girl who gets axed in the first five minutes of a horror movie earlier, so that's not really saying much. But thanks."[/color]

The giant coughed a chuckle, ashamed that he found her amusing despite the accuracy - reality - of her recollection of her own appearance. He moved his hand to his mouth to stop the involuntary convulsions and then coughed what could have been some kind of apology. The corner of Haven's mouth quirked up the slightest bit and she was oddly proud at finally getting him to break his composure.

After another moment, he cleared his throat to continue. [b]"I was directed by the Rangers to escort you to my home. The General can't expend any more Rangers to survey the Day-care and supervise an old woman and a spirited young lady,"[/b] he explained, meaning a compliment. But his voice was flat, serious.

[b]"I'm to watch over you until the situation has resolved itself. We don't know who exactly those men were that attacked you and we don't fully know their intentions for doing so. To put it bluntly, the Rangers think you a threat to Mrs. James' safety."[/b] He hoped she'd appreciate the honesty and believe him to be on her side.

Haven blinked at his monologue. Everything he said made perfect logical sense. She hated that. Protective custody was at the [i]bottom[/i] of the list of things she wanted right now. She fell back into the bed with a muffled [i]slump[/i] and pulled the comforter up so it covered her head.

[color=coral]"Can't you just take the egg and I'll go hide in a city or something?"[/color] she groaned beneath the fabric. Pushing the comforter back down so it was only covering up to her neck, she blinked at the ceiling. [color=coral]"I'm very good at not being caught, I promise."[/color]

Evading arrest had been one of the things she'd prided herself on in Goldenrod. Of course, she'd still been caught frequently… just less often than the number of times she'd done something illicit. Hoenn's former champion and part-time lumberjack didn't need to know that though – especially since he seemed to be on casual speaking terms with the Rangers.

He almost rolled his eyes, but thought again how valid her proposition was. But he then determined that course of action wouldn't have been any more secure. [b]"They don't feel the egg is safest here,"[/b] he misinterpreted. [b]"And you're the last one who had possession, so the law states that it's your property and it must be properly traded to be surrendered. If you're willing to perform the proper procedures, we could remove it from your custody. However, we are unclear as to the intent of these men and whether or not harm is intended upon you."[/b]

He took his arm down from the side of the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest, puffing it out as if it would grant him more authority over her. His feet were spread wide, if only to keep his forehead from disappearing above the frame. However, this was a more relaxed position for him. His voice lowered and even softened some. His dull eyes were fuzzed with sympathy for the girl. He wanted to look strong, but was rather intimidating, instead. He wanted to look confident - balanced, steady - but also caring. He couldn't begin to imagine the kind of trauma she was suffering. So he attempted to make it as light as possible while keeping a sense of seriousness for the situation.

[b]"I'm sure it'll be over soon. And you're not under house arrest, or anything. We can do whatever you came to Hoenn to do, even."[/b]

[color=coral][i]Yeah, I can do it with a huge, shirtless babysitter. Great.[/i][/color] Haven sighed to herself and sat back up to look at him. [color=coral][i]Maybe he'll be good for business,[/i][/color] she thought, defeated.

He was trying, though. Lacked tact, but that's not who he was. Straightforward and focused were good traits to have. It was becoming clear how he'd become the Champion of Hoenn a decade ago.

[b]"So, come down to eat,"[/b] he said, jabbing his chin toward her. He bellowed to force the awkward silence that filled the room. [b]"I don't need you passing out before I get home,"[/b] he said with another huff of a chuckle. His humor was simple, but there was some wit to it...[i]some.[/i]

[color=coral]"Well when ya put it like that, [i]charmer[/i], how can I say no?"[/color] Her tone made it clear that there were many ways she could say no. But she sighed and pushed at the comforter nonetheless, running a hand through her hair again. Her Pokemon moved around her so she could get out of bed and soon enough she was standing again, stretching her arms up and listening to the light pops in her spine. She'd spent a decent chunk of time curled up in bed, and she was still recovering from almost dying. A few cracks here and there were the least of her worries.  Dropping her arms, she looked at Forrest again.

[color=coral]"Lead the way, I guess, Mr. Champion."[/color]

[b]"After you,"[/b] he said and stepped out of the way of the door. He wanted to be behind her in case she collapsed, for whatever reason. He couldn't be too careful when he didn't know exactly what was going on. [i]Hopefully Jeanne can look at her more closely.[/i]

The entire building was too small for him, it seemed. The ceilings almost touched his crown. He had to pivot sideways and duck to pass through doors. Even sitting at the table, his knees extended past halfway across the table. His torso hid the back of the chair.

[b]"This is very delicious, Mrs. James. Thank you for feeding us," [/b]he said between fork-fulls and hand-fulls.

[b]"Not as good as your wife, though?"[/b] she teased with a light giggle.

Forrest just flinched his face in a quick wink and smirk. Mrs. James blushed and waved a hand, appreciating the teasing back at her.

[color=coral][i]Someone's got a crush.[/i][/color]

[b]"I hope you don't mind going with me to my house. I know how overbearing the Rangers can be,"[/b] he said, his attention toward the girl, now.

Haven glanced up at him, only for her eyes to turn back to her plate.

[color=coral]"You're not gonna carry me there, are you?"[/color] she finally asked, only half-joking.

[b]"I mean..."[/b] he began with intent to actually carry her. However, the grin on his face alluded to his jest with her as he had with Mrs. James.

She pushed the mashed potatoes around her plate, forcing herself to take a bite every now and then.

Haven didn't want to go with him. She knew why it was the sensible thing to do. But she didn't want to feel protected or watched over, or [i]reminded[/i] of what she'd been through and what the stakes were. Haven just wanted this entire thing to be over. It was bad enough she had the scars, the constant reminders etched into her body and memory. She chanced a look back up at him.

[color=coral]"Did you…"[/color] she trailed off, pressing her lips together as she thought of what she wanted to ask. [color=coral]"Do you know why it happened?"[/color]

Forrest seemed to have been taken aback by the directness she posed. He finished chewing so he could swallow and answer her properly, to match her seriousness.

[b]"'They wanted the egg for their boss,' was all I was told. We believe them to be based in Rustboro, but there's no real proof yet."[/b] His tone was colder, now, clinical. [b]"The men and their Pokemon are being taken to the Fairfax Hospital and then going into custody. We just don't know how big this thing could be."[/B]

[color=coral]"Awesome."[/color] It was not, in fact, awesome. [color=coral]"And you're sure they weren't just some jackasses trying to be new parents?"[/color] Haven knew she probably should've turned the flippancy levels down a few notches. And yet: [color=coral]"Maybe they were desperate for an omelet."[/color]

Forrest just eyed her, disappointed that she wanted - attempted - to rationalize the behavior of murderous men who ruined her body and her psyche. He didn't need to say [b]"New parents don't try to kill people holding eggs. They don't steal them from Mrs. James..."[/b] His look of slight condescension was enough to portray the intent despite his mouth full of potatoes.

Haven glanced up to meet his eyes at his tone, an eyebrow raised. Apparently he'd taken her comments at face value. She looked back down to her food.

[color=coral]"Guess we just do things differently in Johto."[/color] The remedy to this situation was almost certainly not more sarcasm. But darn it, she was determined to give it a shot.

Despite herself, Haven was relieved that her attackers were still alive. The world was still scarier with them in it, but… somehow them dying would've made it worse.

[color=coral]"Why do you think they're from Rustboro?"[/color]

Forrest lifted the glass of water to his mouth to wash down the masticated food still lingering so he could respond more appropriately. [b]"Medicham," [/b]he started and nodded his head toward the front of the house, suggestion she was out there now, [b]"saw either the Hospital or Institute in one of the men's minds. Both looked, to me, like they were Fairfax, and both of those are in Rustboro."[/b]

His fork scooped at more potatoes and a piece of steak and threw it into his mouth. It was a small portion so he could still talk without being too disgusting. [b]"But that's a loose assumption,"[/b] he admitted.

[color=coral]"Maybe they're in Petalburg,"[/color] she mumbled under her breath. But she'd already resigned herself. [color=coral]"So… what, do you think they're involved with Fairfax or something?"[/color]

[b]"That's confidential,"[/b] he said, ignoring the "Petalburg" accusation. But even he wasn't at liberty to discuss sensitive information. Regardless, that was something entirely unrelated to this situation. At least, he'd hoped it was unrelated.

Forrest scraped off the rest of his plate and finished his fourth glass of water like they were going to hike through Hoenn's Central Desert. But someone his size, of course, needed to consume more. He rose from his seat and knocked the edge of the table with his thigh due to lack of space. His hand rested on the table as if to will it still, and then started to collect the dishes from the table. [b]"I'm going to help Mrs. James clean up here,"[/b] he started and he put his plate into the sink.

[b]"Oh, no, dear. You needn't do that."[/b]

[b]"It's fine, Gram," [/b]he said with a smile and touched her forearm. She reached a hand to cup the man's chin and gave him a few pats in gratitude. [b]"You go up and pack your things. We'll leave soon to get you settled in."[/b]

Instant rebellion rose up in Haven at this newest command, but she didn't have the energy to indulge it. She knew she was just being petulant.

But honestly, this "Let's order Haven around for her own good" thing was getting old, no matter how benign or reasonable the commands were. She was tired of being told what to do, like she couldn’t figure out how to take care of herself.

Forcing herself to be compliant, Haven took one last bite of food and pushed her chair away from the table to stand.

[color=coral]"Thanks,"[/color] she murmured, handing her plate to Mrs. James. The old woman gave her a kind smile and waved her away. Haven knew the polite thing to do would be to offer help, but she didn’t have the energy to go through the motions when she was just going to get hushed and dismissed. So she skipped the pleasantries and just went straight to the conclusion: heading to her room to make sure she was packed for the trip.

Her Pokemon were still piled on her bed, watching the TV show on her tablet. Only her Weepinbell looked up when she opened her door.

[color=coral]”Time to pack,”[/color] she said, closing the door behind her. She’d only spent a grand total of maybe four hours in this room, but most of her belongings were laid out to dry from the night before. Mrs. James must’ve done it before the attack. Her thoughts raced as she moved around the room, haphazardly folding clothes and throwing them in her bag. 

She was going to Petalburg. She was being [i]taken[/i] to Petalburg. Apparently she didn’t have a choice. Like how she didn’t have a choice when she’d been carried to the Daycare, or when she’d been attacked, or when she’d been [i]scarred[/i] and beaten and almost murdered.

Haven froze where she stood, squeezing her eyes shut. She hadn’t noticed when her heart started pounding against her ribcage. The shirt she’d been holding was now a wrinkled ball in her hands. She took in one slow, shaky breath. She let it out.

Haven was tired of not having a choice. She was tired of other people deciding things for her. She wasn’t helpless. And she wasn’t that punk kid who didn’t know how to stay out of trouble anymore.

She opened her eyes and turned to look at her team. They were all looking at her. She wasn’t the only one who hadn’t been given a choice lately. And they’d been hurt just as she had. With a sigh, Haven dropped the shirt to the ground and walked over to the bed. 

[color=coral]"We have two choices,"[/color] she said. [color=coral]"We go with Forrest to Petalburg and let him take care of us, or we take care of ourselves."[/color] She looked between her different Pokemon, gauging their reactions. [color=coral]"I know what I want… but I’m not the only one this affects."[/color] Haven kneeled down to be eye-to-eye with them. [color=coral]"I’m…"[/color] A hard lump started forming in her throat. [color=coral]"It’s possible… maybe even likely, that people are gonna come after us again. But… I don’t want to feel like this anymore. Like–"[/color]

She was cut off as her tablet started ringing again, her mother calling. Haven looked over at it. Once again her mother's face appeared on the screen. 

She was probably sick with worry. But she’d worried before. And Haven had taken care of it. She’d [i]done[/i] something about it. Because of her, her family wasn’t worried about making rent every month or having enough food, or picking water over electricity. Sure, Haven hadn’t done exactly what her mom had wanted. But Haven had still done something that [i]mattered[/i], she’d helped her family. She’d proven she was worth more than anyone had thought, that she was [i]capable[/i] of more.

Sometimes she thought they were maybe even proud of her. Sometimes she was proud of herself.

Haven wouldn’t let two jackasses on a crime spree change that. She [i]couldn’t[/i] let them take that from her.

Pressing her lips together, she pushed the decline button on her tablet and looked back to her team.

[color=coral]"We… we can do this. We can make it. We’ll look out for each other just like we have for years. But not unless we all agree to it."[/color] Cloak and Dagger glanced to each other, the Granbull nodding quickly. Her Scrafty hesitated a moment, looking Haven in the eye. Then he gave a short nod, too. Lace was already nodding, puffing herself up like that alone would scare off any pursuers. Haven finally let her eyes fall on Blink. The Weepinbell wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were angled down, unfocused.

Blink had always been the most cautious member of their little party – the meekest and most timid. As scarring as the night had been for Haven, she could only imagine how bad it must’ve been for her old partner. He’d always been the one to shy away from trouble that she seemed to jump head first into. Haven likely owed Blink her life – she’d have been in juvie or jail without him to pull her away from her more reckless decisions.

He finally refocused on her eyes. Then he nodded.

Haven let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. [color=coral]"Ok. Then we’re going."[/color] Haven pulled their pokeballs out of her pocket and recalled them all in a flash of light. In a few moments all of her belongings had been tossed in her bag. Her bedsheets were thrown back in a rough semblance of order, and Forrest’s blanket was folded on the edge of the bed. 

All that was left was the egg. It sat on the corner of her bed, still and innocent. The damned thing was more trouble than it was worth. But Haven knew she couldn't just leave it here. Not after what it'd put Mrs. James through. It'd probably be safe with Forrest… but Haven thought of his family. She thought of Jerrek. She wasn't putting them at risk.

The same sense of obligation that had pushed her out to near-death last night thrummed through her once again. The egg was her responsibility. [i]Her[/i] team had found it, [i]she'd[/i] brought it to the Daycare, and now [i]she[/i] was going to take care of it. 

Haven picked it up and put it in her bag. It didn't quite fit, putting a bulge in the fabric and crushing her clothes. But it would have to do. Slipping on her shoes, Haven grabbed her tablet and opened the door.

She crept down the stairs, hyperaware of each creak and groan of the old wooden steps. Memories of sneaking out of her family's tiny apartment echoed through her mind. After an eternity of barely breathing, Haven finally made it to the bottom. Mrs. James' reedy voice chimed from the kitchen, followed by the low rumble of Forrest's laugh. Haven walked to the front door, as quickly as she dared, and grabbed the knob. She turned it and eased the door open. 

And then she was out.