036. Video/Action/Text

[foolishwren]

_{[Backdated to earlier on Friday morning, close to noon.]}



[Text to Otacon and Liquid.]

I'm running ahead a bit

Gotta meet somebody.

I don't think there's far left to go though so if I don't see you before we get there I'll catch up with you in the city ok?

peace out



[Text to Kaito]
Hey, how far've you gotten??

I can see POLLUTION over the treetops which means I've gotta be getting close-- hope I didn't pass you yet.




_{[That overcast gray sky overhead is somehow oppressive, even on the video feed. Yet, Heather looks cheerful. Maybe she doesn't notice it-- it IS rather... tame on the surface in comparison to the ghastly fog that had come rolling in on silent feet before the hallucinations had set in about a month ago... Not to mention this weird overcast state is more or less the norm a lot of the time where Heather comes from. Or maybe it's just that she's happy to be on the road again-- it's the first time she's made a transmission of her own since leaving Azalea. Not to mention now that Minnie's safe, the trip has a bit less urgency to it.]}

Man, I don't know about anybody else, but I'm sure glad that frosty air is gone...


Anyway, uh-- guys, I had a question.

What kinds of Pokemon are around here? Hal caught one of those... teleporting bald fox things, but I haven't seen much of anything else. _{Except for the bugs in my sleeping bag at night... [THANKS SNAKE YOU REALLY HELPED HER SLEEP SOUNDLY.]}


It's kinda been awhile since I've caught anything, and while I am gonna be getting the rest of my guys back soon, Cooj is getting uh... sorta tired.

_{[... Not that it, you know, showed. He was still romping merrily in and out of the frame as Heather walked. But it was true enough, now that she was going ahead by herself and the Growlithe had to do all the battling on his own, the traveling without aid of Pokemon Center was making him a little less enthusiastic about chasing things off.]}

I don't even think I have any Pokeballs, but ... any recommendations?

I'm open to anything.





.... Except those things.

_{[The turns the camera around to point at a small gaggle of mostly-concealed Jigglypuff in the grass that have seemingly been following her.]}

There is a reason I have not tried to catch you, Weird Round Pink Things.


Go away.


_{[End feed.]}










[Text to Minnie-- PRIVATE.]
Hey Minnie

How you doing?

Are you somewhere safe now?

Comments

[video]

[puzzling]

Haha, well, I do have to admit, that is quite strange. But it cannot be much more stranger than those pink plant-like Pokemon.

[Now those are fucking creepy. It didn't help that Luke had one. Those things defied all laws of...normal animal sense or whatever.]

[video]

[foolishwren]

You mean those ones with the sorta helicoptery leaves?

I dunno... I think these has that one beat.

Nothing like this should exist in the natural world.

[video]

[puzzling]

Haha, well then, perhaps you should tell it the reason of your dislike. It might stop following you then, Miss Mason.

[video]

[foolishwren]

I've already told them. At length!

I don't think they're following me because they like me, Professor.

I think they want to eat my flesh.

[video] oh Heather. OH HEATHER

[puzzling]

Nonsense. The small thing looks like it couldn't even hurt a fly. It seems adorable.

[video] NOTHING WITH EYES THAT HUGE CAN BE ANYTHING BUT EVIL OK.

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather stops, stares at Layton, then over her shoulder at the Jigglypuff, which are all watching. Silently. Emotionlessly. Eerily.]}


....... Professor, are you familiar with vultures?

[video] GASP ARE YOU TELLING ME THOSE KAWAII DESU GIRLS ARE EVIL?

[puzzling]

[He smiles and nods.]

Yes, very. Are you to say that the little pink Pokemon is like a vulture?

[video] YES.

[foolishwren]

As in I think that they're waiting for me to drop dead from exhaustion or starvation-- something I'm HAPPY to report will not be happening-- before they swarm in and pick the flesh from my bones?


YES.

_{[Is she being melodramatic about this? Yes. ... But they're still creepy.]}

[video] HEY LUKE HAS GIANT EYES TOO HE'S NOT EVIL

[puzzling]

[That just grabs such a big laugh from the Professor. Oh, Miss Mason. Oh, Miss Mason. You are just a joy to speak to.]

Well, the I suggest that you either defeat that creature with your Pokemon and run off while you still can. That or you may capture it then give it to someone who thinks otherwise.

[video] WELL LUKE IS NOT A PERFECT SPHERE WITH ARMS AND LEGS.

[foolishwren]

Every time I tell Cooj to sic 'em, they start.... singing and he whimpers and refuses to get close. I don't know why.

But it's creepy. I think I'd rather just run away. Really fast.

[video] AND NEITHER ARE THOSE KAWAII DESU GIRLS

[puzzling]

That is rather strange...But yes, if you cannot defeat them, I would highly suggest to flee.

Just how long have they been following you, Miss Mason?

[video] .... W-WELL STILL

[foolishwren]

'Bout half an hour I guess?

[video] STILL? I'M WAITING FOR THAT EXPLAINATION

[puzzling]

That is awfully a long time for them to be pursuing you. You haven't done anything to draw their attention, have you?

[video] IT'S-- IT'S THE EYES WHG;LSG;S;H;SG

[foolishwren]

I don't think-- no, definitely not!

_{[... The truth is, like squirrels on a college campus, the Jigglypuff on this route are used to routine handouts from all the people who traverse up and down it, and ... that's why they're following her. THIS HAS NOT OCCURRED TO HEATHER YET BECAUSE THE EYES CREEP HER OUT WAY TOO MUCH.]}

[video] JESUS STAB IT IN THE EYES WITH A PENCIL OR SOMETHING THEN

[puzzling]

Hm...well, then perhaps you should start running for a few minutes and see if they'll follow you.

[WELL, LAYTON ISN'T GOING TO SUGGEST FEEDING THEM UNTIL HE SEES SOME RUNNING]

[video] I JUST MIGHT

[foolishwren]

Okay, might as well give it a go-- c'mon Cooj!

_{[The view of Heather's face is lost briefly as she breaks into a job, leaving only a view of that monochrome gray sky jittering wildly back and forth, accompanied by a soundtrack of pounding footsteps and jingling from whatever's hanging off of the sleeping bag she's been wearing like a backpack.]}

[video] MAKE SURE YOU GET EVERY LAST BUGGER OUT THERE

[puzzling]

[And the Professor just watches like a spectator at a race. Huh, wonder if it'll work. Will Miss Mason out run those Pokemon? Will they devour her skin and flesh like she predicted? Stay tune for the next exciting episode of "Silent Benny Heather Hill!"]

[video] I WILL and lol that icon he looks so shocked.

[foolishwren]

_{[This goes on for awhile-- Heather has stamina! But then there's a scrape of gravel as she finally skids to a halt, panting slightly.]}

That-- .... should do it-- .... I- ..... Aw HELL.

_{[Camera swivels-- there they are, bobbling along a fair distance back, but still catching up.]}

[video] so shocked that Miss Mason could actually run pretty well /O\

[puzzling]

Those creatures doesn't seem like they'll give up anytime soon.

[Jesus, those little buggers are worse than cockroaches. Kill them with fire!]

Perhaps you should leave something behind as bait, Miss Mason.

[video] Hey hey hey, she WAS on the track team in high school, after all!

[foolishwren]

... Bait?

_{[She pauses for a moment, blinking, then fishes a little package out of her pocket-- just some of Otacon's infamous grilled charred cheese sandwiches that she'd taken along only so that she wouldn't starve before she got to Goldenrod.]}

Something like this?

[video] Well, with that frail body of her's, you wouldn't think so

[puzzling]

[He nods.]

Yes, I think that would do. If they are hungry, they will take the food, giving you enough time to make your getaway.

[video] ..... >8I .... you wanna GO, professor? You wanna take this outside?

[foolishwren]

... That's not a half-bad idea...

<sub>[This stuff might not be beef jerky, but then, these weren't dogs. Turning around, she takes the blackened, still-semi-greasy sandwiches in one hand, cocks her arm back, and HURLS it towards the Jigglypuffs.]

[Instant reaction-- they cluster around it!]</sub>

[video] We ARE outside, you fool, and I'll beat you with my eyes closed >BC

[puzzling]

[Whoa, that's some arm you got there, Miss Mason. And hey! It looks like it's working!]

I suggest that this is the time to make your getaway, Miss Mason, while they are still distracted!

[video] *GETS HER STEEL PIPE* >8I

[foolishwren]

_{[He didn't have to tell her twice! She took off running again.]}

[video] OH YOU'RE SO WEAK YOU HAVE TO USE A PIPE? PATHETIC

[puzzling]

[Run run! They can't catch, 'cause you're the Gingerbread gal!]

Are they following you, Miss Mason?