foolishwren | 93. [Video/Action for Cianwood Inn]

_{[Well, THAT had been fun.]

[After over a week, lots of bad weather, a few waterlogged hugs and a whole lot of flying, Heather's finally back on Cianwood, with a nurse, a mysterious young woman, a bird-obsessionist, and a magician-thief in tow.]

[She's exhausted and wants nothing more to just faceplant on the bed and let her father play host to the new additions to the 'family' (and the one returning member) for awhile... but as usual, something's come up.]

[The feed comes on from above-- she's flopped on her back on one of the hotel room's beds, hair still curly and wet from the shower she spent at least forty-five minutes in after arriving back on the island. She'd had to use an unoccupied hotel room (with Arty guarding the door to make sure no unsuspecting guest walked in on her) to do it on account of the fact that she'd been accompanied by four equally tired and dirty people who ALSO needed showers.]

[She picks tiredly at one eye, the camera wobbling above her on account of being held up with just one hand.]}

Sooo.

Yeah, I uh... was totally planning on visiting some people on the way home, but... yeah.

All that weather sort of sucked all the sociability out of everybody. Sorry, Cliff. Wish I'd made it.

_{[YEAH, she's spoiling the surprise, but hey, she can always drop in on him and Ironhide later, assuming no giant storms pop right the fuck out of nowhere like last week. Ugh.]}

But anyway, back safe and sound, nobody died, the world's still turning, chocolate and peanut butter are still an awesome combination, life goes on. Hope nobody got too battered during all that crazy apocalyptic weather.

_{[And around this point is where she'd usually turn the camera off (and maybe she intended to but is just so damn tired it slipped her mind) but the screen blurs as she rolls over, propping herself up on her elbows and resting the 'Gear against the bedspread next to her instead. Next to it are two things--]}

_{[--a battered old medallion with red marks inscribed on it... and a piece of paper. The camera's gaze only lingers on it for a second or two, but quick readers might be able to make out the words Make her suffer written in loopy handwriting before the 'Gear moves again.]

[This time, it's aimed crookedly at the side of the bed, where the somber, doberman-like face of a Houndoom is watching the off-camera Heather in silence.]}

....

Gonna have to come up with a different name for you.

_{[End feed.]}

[AUDIO // LOCKED TO COOPER]

_{[Later that night:]}

Hey, Coop.

You got a minute?

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[THANK GOD, BEING IN AN INN AGAIN... It's after much cleaning and sleeping that Lisa seeks out the other blonde again.]

Hey...Heather.

[Yep, not used to calling her that. And still not used to making conversation with this girl, either. She opts for one of her old standby's, though in those days it had been a flagrant lie.]

You're looking better. All rested up.

_{[Twisting a little to look over her shoulder (and away from the Houndoom), Heather grins at Lisa tiredly and then rolls back over onto her back. She doesn't really have the energy to do much else.]}

Heeeeeey.

Yeahhh... more than I was a few hours ago, anyway.

How 'bout you.

I'm pretty sure I've never been more happy to see a bed, if that tells you anything.

[She leans up against the door frame, eyes shifting from Heather to the dog.]

I don't think I've seen this one of yours before...

[Not that there had been much time to really meet the other blonde's pokemon. Thank you, world going to hell.]

It tells me I know exactly how you feel.

_{[Her mouth had quirked up in a chuckle, although it quickly faded to the thoughtful half-smile she'd been wearing before. She didn't reach out to the Houndoom-- it was a DOG that was not Cujo and therefore she was wary of it-- but she did contemplate it quietly along with Lisa.]}

It wasn't mine until just a few hours ago...

_{[Never fret, Lisa would have plenty of time to get acquainted with Heather's colorful array of magical animals, some of which were more friendly than others.]}

Got him and one other in a package from the little post office counter at the Mart.

... Their owner went home.

Ah... I'm sorry to hear that.

[Lisa frowns. She knows that friends going home was a bit of a sore subject with Heather--the fiasco with the egg proved that, if nothing else. The other girl was calmer this time, at least, though Lisa knew that wasn't necessarily better.]

Were the two of you close?

Not exactly.

We knew each other once, that's all.

... You... probably wouldn't remember him.

He was real small. ... You know. When I was... in the hospital.

_{[Oh that's right she hadn't mentioned it was someone from home, had she. :(]}

Oh... [A survivor... And a friend of Alessa's.]

I think I might have talked to him once, a long time ago... There was a man who knew I was your nurse.

_{[Well... no, not a survivor... and not a friend, either. ... Not in the strictest sense of the word, anyway. He'd been too tiny back then to be a friend OR an enemy. An annoyance, maybe, although a somewhat endearing one. Alessa hadn't had it in her to hate anybody back then. Not even the children outside the church who had tormented her.]

[Of course, the night of the fire had changed that...]}

... Really?

_{[Heather's not sure how she feels about that... it hadn't occurred to her that he'd know that sort of detail about Alessa's life, although of course he WOULD know...]}

Kinda slimy-looking, glasses?

Bad teeth?

Looks like he probably got shoved into lockers in high school?

[Shhh, details that Lisa doesn't know.]

I'm not...sure. We only spoke once, back when I first arrived, and it was through audio.

Oh.

_{[She pauses to think. ... It was still probably him. The only other person who'd have known was her father... and Lisa obviously would have known if HE was the one who she'd been talking to.]}

... Well, anyway...

He was really little when Ale-- ... when I was with you. Just a toddler.

_{[Of course, he'd been a cunning little thing even THEN. But it was a bit more charming coming from a two-year-old than it was from some twenty-something creeper.]}

93. [Video/Action for Cianwood Inn]

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