[FIN] Between a Rocket and a Hard Place

[Tori Honoo]

She kept a wary eye on Izaya, as the pokemon was called back to it's ball, then glanced to the man in front of her. "Um... kind of..." Yes, she knew him, but did she really want to admit to it? But at the same time, she didn't want the man harmed....

When Rokujo slid dismounted his bike, she too moved, feeling more secure on solid ground than on the bike alone. Again her hand went to Sparky's pokeball, though the Kabutowari gave her pause-- AGAIN? Why did everyone here insist on carrying weapons? She looked again to Izaya, silently begging for him to just play it cool and apologize so they could all walk away unharmed.

However, as she had grimly suspected, the informer elected to make a cheeky response, even going so far as to draw out a flickblade. She rolled her eyes behind the leader's back, sighing, then shook her head. Pokeball in hand, she stood back, her entire body on alert as the men talked, resolving to escape as quickly as possible.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Ignoring Rokujo's threat, Izaya said, "Tell you what. You boys seem busy tonight. Kind of suspicious that there's so many of you concentrated in one part of the city at this hour. I won't question it though~ I just have to ask...between us two, aren't you the more suspicious character to be watching this girl? I mean look at her; she's obviously uncomfortable in your presence. I'm no expert, but I think it might be the whole 'biker gang' thing."

Rokujo flinched and glanced behind him, noticing the pokeball in the girl's hand. So much for having tried to make her feel safe. After all that talk, maybe he had been the one scaring her; possibly more than this low life.

"Let me escort her home," the man offered, gesturing to Dove. "Obviously she knows me at least a little better than you do. Besides, I think she'd prefer just having one person rather than a whole entourage of loud, frightening delinquents."

"Hrnn..." The Toramaru gang leader glared at Izaya. He had a few good points, though he hated to admit it. Turning to Dove, his weapon still raised, he asked, "What do you want to do?"  

[Tori Honoo]

She listened to Izaya speak, though the ice on her spine only settled further at his words. of course they were suspicious. She wasn't sure she wanted any of them to escort her home, let alone have any of them knowing where she lived. She gave Rokujo an apologetic look, however when he flinched and looked over his shoulder at her, though her grip on the ball never slackened.

When he asked her what she wanted, she looked between them, obviously unsure of choosing either option. Though Izaya hadn't hurt her before--physically-- he was still a member of Team Rocket, and though she hadn't known that during their previous meetings and had handled things just fine, the knowledge now made her even more hesitant. However, to allow the man and his gang of bikers to escort her back could be just as dangerous, though he had been nothing but... oddly kind, in his own way, she supposed. Both were armed, though Izaya less so. Both were dangerous. However walking away without choosing one didn't even seem to be an option.

After a few moments of thought, she looked to Izaya, then the gang leader once more. "I appreciate your chivalry, but please don't hurt him. He's done nothing to me tonight, and I really do think I'll be okay on my own, so long as I go straight home." At least if one party were to turn on her, she would only have one human to deal with, and not an entire group. Sparky could handle it, she was sure, and if he couldn't, it was her own fault for letting the time slip away.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

The reddish-brown-haired man looked shocked. "I'm sorry, my lady, but I can't let you do that," he told her firmly, his gaze determined and his mouth set. "If you want, I can just have a couple of my men go with you, but I couldn't bear to have the thought of a lady walking all alone. Who knows how many other weirdos like this one there are out there, waiting to pounce?"

Izaya beamed and waved cheerfully at the reference to him.  

[Tori Honoo]

She closed her eyes a moment, then sighed looking to Izaya again. "I'll have him walk me home, I suppose. We need to talk anyway..." she said, her expression cleared. "But thank you again...I don't think I've ever met someone so dedicated to such a cause..." she added with a small, quick smile to Chikage.

Her hand tightened around Sparky's pokeball, her eyes flicking back to Izaya. "Besides, I think it would be much easier for my typhlosion to burn one person... just in case."  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Rokujo frowned, clearly uneasy with the girl's request. Still, if it was the only alternative to her walking home alone...

"Fine," he said. "So be it." Whipping up his Kabutowari to Izaya's neck in the blink of an eye, he added, "but if I hear from this girl or anyone that you tried any funny business, my men and I are going to hunt you down like the animal you are. Got it, scumbag?"

The Rocket put a finger to the tip of the blade aimed at his throat and gingerly moved it aside, giggling gleefully. "Of course, of course~! Besides, you heard her - she's got her pokemon to protect her from me. What could I do against a Typhlosion? At the worst, we'd have a pokemon battle."

"Tch." Rokujo spat at Izaya's shoes. "You better start showing some more respect towards women or I'll have to beat some into you myself." So saying, he sheathed his weapon, hardened gaze lingering on the Rocket for a few moments longer before he turned his back to hop on his bike. "Farewell, lovely lady. And don't hesitate to yell if you ever need our assistance." He looked to his fellow bikers. "Come on, guys. Let's get out of here."

In a few minutes, the air was filled with the rumbling and roar of motorcycle engines. In a few more, all that remained as proof that they had been there was the dust and smoke left behind in their wake, curling softly in clouds to hang above the narrow street.

"Well," sighed the black-haired man, "Looks like it's just you and me now." He began to walk toward her.  

[Tori Honoo]

Dove nodded in response to Rokujo's words, stepping back and curling in a little as the men's bikes roared to life, then left her alone in the street with the Rocket.

Once the air had settled, the girl lifted her eyes back to the man, taking a step back as he approached her, and pulling her phone from her pocket. "It doesn't have to be. Try anything and the police will have their hands on a Team Rocket member."  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Dove's threat was met with a giggle. "That's quite an accusation to be making, Dove-chan," he said, pausing in his approach to regard her with amusement. "Not very nice, either. How would you like it if I called the police up right now and told them you were a Team Rocket member, mm?"  

[Tori Honoo]

She stood her ground, watching him with cautious eyes. She didn't care that he was amused, and she didn't doubt for a second that he was, in fact, a member of Team Rocket. However, proving such a thing would be difficult, and to let him know how she had found out about his criminality would put Luke at risk, especially since she assumed he still had Asch's letter.

After a moment of silence, she answered his address, though she ignored his words. "What are you doing here, Izaya?"  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

"Not like it's any business of yours," the black-haired young man answered, "but I was investigating the appearance of a biker gang who really didn't seem to have much reason for being here in Camphoreon. They're from another part of the reigon, you see. It seemed rather peculiar that the whole lot of them would go out of their way just to show up for something trivial."

"But nevermind me," he said, starting to walk toward her again. "What are you doing out here so late at night? You heard that guy. It's not safe for young ladies like yourself; pokemon or no."  

[Tori Honoo]

She allowed him to approach, though Sparky appeared at her side as she finally released him into the street. "I was writing."

She offered no more than that, still watching him hesitantly as Sparky growled, his eyes narrowed and focused on the informant as he moved. Though she had been more at ease in the well lit area she had chosen to relax and write, she was now tense, suffocating between the walls of the buildings around her and the dim glow of the streetlamps.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

"What, you can't write in the safety of your own home?" the informant asked, walking up to her and continuing on past, his hands still in his pockets. He seemed to completely ignore the fire-type she had brought out. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting pretty bored just standing around out here. Are you coming or not~?"  

[Tori Honoo]

She hesitated, watching him, and refused to answer his question. However, after a quick thought, she followed him, hoping to eventually lead him back to the more populated--and well lit-- area of the city. There was no way she was letting him walk her home or let him find out where she lived. Not even a hint.

Sparky walked alongside her, his eyes never leaving the informant's back.  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

Izaya didn't seem offended by the lack of a response. Instead, he pressed onward without looking back, seeming to have a destination in mind. He continued to walk purposefully toward a general area where he knew for a fact apartments were available. As it so happened, he used to live in one such apartment back before he joined Team Rocket. He wondered vaguely who lived there now, if anyone, and if Shizuo had ever come knocking on their door.  

[Tori Honoo]

She followed in silence, sure to track where he led her in case she needed to run, her footsteps faltering as the arrived in a more domestic area, where apartments lined the streets. Though she was glad for the brighter lights, it made her intensely uneasy, and she stood still, phone still in hand and Sparky at her side.

"Where are we?" she all but whispered, her voice tense and frightened.