52. Video and Private Message

[foolishwren]

_{[The feed opens out on the expansive city skyline, though the slight reflection of the PokeGear shows that, thankfully, there's a panel of glass in between it and the unholy winter storm raging outside. It's nothing compared to that blizzard from last month in terms of whiteout-- the buildings outside, lit up brightly as usual, are still perfectly visible, but the low, gutteral moaning of the wind and the occasional pulsing flash far off in the roiling skies-- tumbling with clouds of that weird velvety orange-gray color only seen in the thickest of snowstorms-- indicate that it is not a pleasant night to be outside.]}

Screw my shift, man. I'm not goin' in tonight.

The ol' bat can kiss my ass.

_{[There's a low rumble of thunder and a clump of buildings off on far side of the city go dark.]}

Ugh. See?

Screw that. I'm staying in my room.

_{[... Well, she might go and bother what few of her friends remained in the hotel. ... Though it was a dwindling number, lately. It made the enormous city seem surprisingly lonely. She'd gotten used to having most of her buddies within walking distance and it was funny how quickly it had seemed normal. Ah, well. She'd already known she took things for granted... at least they were still in Johto.]}

[Though it did make her wonder if she really wanted to stay in the city much longer. ... The old wander gene was kicking in, and then there was the arrival of a certain prominent figure (although they'd never formally met...) from Heather's past...]

[The feed lingers on the window for a moment or two before the camera-holder seems to snap out of her thoughtfulness and turns away, transforming the scene into a brief, ugly blur of floral hotel wallpaper.]

Anyway. Anyone else in the hotel hungry? Maybe we can pool a little money and order some epic room service, because like hell am I gonna try and go out to eat tonight.

.... Oh yeah, and-- heh.

_{[The camera turns once more from where Heather's flopped down on the bed and shows.... this.]}

... I think being cooped up indoors makes them restless.

~*~

[PRIVATE Voice Message to Cybil Bennett]

Hey!

It's, uh-- ... it's Cheryl.

I hope you got somewhere sheltered because this storm's a real doozy. Have you made it to Cherrygrove yet?

Anyway, uh...

... Listen. I'm probably gonna be heading out of town soon and backtracking to Violet City. Which is... probably on your destination list if you're goin' the usual way.

_{[There's a brief pause. Heather sounds almost humorously sheepish and unsure. To anyone already familiar with her usual cocky way of talking, it'd probably almost sound adorable how uncertain she was. But really could you blame her after what had happened when the last person she knew from back home showed up? This was a big deal and she didn't wanna fuck it all up.]}

Do you... I dunno, wanna meet up for coffee or something while I'm there?

Comments

[video]

[bakaitoukid]

Maybe if you reduce his sugar intake, he'll stop being so excited all the time.

[video]

[foolishwren]

Sugar intake? He's a dog, not a toddler! I don't feed him candy!

.... Most of the time.

[video]

[miniworth]

Maybe you should take them on a walk.

[Because that's what Miles is doing, as a form of physical rehab and a way to keep Pip busy. The video shows that Miles is sitting somewhere on one of the staircases, Pess sitting behind him.

He looks kind of tired from climbing, too. >___> ]

[video]

[foolishwren]

Outside? In THIS?

_{[It doesn't... occur to her that Miles means indoors, derp.]}

[Action]

[seasalttwilight.livejournal.com]

[Roxas is kind of waffling outside of Heather's door. He likes the idea of room service, but being actively social? Still kind of difficult. Not to mention that he probably won't be there long, since he's still worried about Namine. Finally there's a tentative knock.

ooc: will be tagging more tomorrow. bedtime]

[Action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Hey, no better way to be social than to hang out with somebody who's loud enough for the both of you, right?]

[Heather opens the door and stifles a brief look of surprise at the sight of him. Not that she's not pleased to see him, but the One of Few Words was definitely not somebody she'd have expected to come a-knocking.]</sub>

Oh! Hey, Roxas! What's up?

_{[ooc: No prob, it's late. XD]}

[action]

[philanthrotaku.livejournal.com]

I could definitely go for something, if you're hungry.

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather's already flopped on the bed with the room service menu open and held over her face.]}

Awesome. I'm not a HUGE fan of the hotel's food, but s'better than nothing.

Whatcha want?

_{[She holds up the menu for him to see.]}

[voice]

[shellderkillder.livejournal.com]

His name is Cujo, correct? Ah, such an amusing little dog...

[voice]

[foolishwren]

Yep, that's him all right.

... And he's not so little anymore... I think he's grown three times in size since I first got here...

_{[He was quite large for a Growlithe, strangely.]}

[Video]

[dragonspeak]

[Grin] Are you certain you want to deal with her anger the next day?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Ehhhh...

I think I'm man enough to handle it.

CUTE PICTURE!

[justicereigns]

Well, at least they're enjoying themselves.

thank youu <3

[foolishwren]

I think the only time Cujo doesn't enjoy himself is when he's asleep.

And even that's debatable.

_{[It was kind of annoying when he had those 'running dreams' while he was hogging her bed.]}

[video]

[cheapblusuits.livejournal.com]

[Good evening, Heather! Here, have a bundled-up and rather soggy looking Phoenix. He doesn't look too down, however -- for a change!]

You really shouldn't skip work, Heather. [YES HE IS GOING TO BUG YOU ABOUT THAT but really, there's more amusement in his voice than anything.]

[video]

[foolishwren]

_{[GOOD EVENING PHOENIX.]}

Hey, just because I'm not a total nut like you who goes out traveling in this weather...

How's the road, by the way?

_{[Phoenix was among the somewhat-large-by-now number of Heather's buddies who had moved on from Goldenrod-- something she's kind of considering doing, herself.]}

[video]

[rodeopony.livejournal.com]

Is the weather always like this here?

[ Yep, guess which two ex-ponies are sloshing their way to Cherrygrove! Snow! Ice! They're learning fast. ]

[video]

[foolishwren]

_{[Poor things. Worst time of year to arrive, seriously-- at least when Heather had gotten here, it had been in the middle of summer. Even with that big downpour that had showered eastern Johto for a good day and a half, she'd had time to bake dry afterwards.]}

No, thank god.

Most of the time it's usually pretty nice.

But we're right in the thick of winter. Me, I think I'm ready for the snow to stop.

[video]

[exeggutorhead]

Anyone going to the department store in this weather is insane anyway.

[Envy looks like a wet cat. Surely, he'd thought, it wouldn't be that bad to just go down the street. Wrong.]

[video]

[foolishwren]

Yeah, and I consider myself to be a mentally sound individual, by and large.

You look like you took a swim in the ocean.

[video / private] that picture is even better than the actual...y'know, picture

[dontshootmebro.livejournal.com]

[She's clearly sitting, chilling in a Pokemon Center with her Houndour on her lap. GUESS SHE GREW TO LIKE HER DEMON DOG or at least accept him.]

I've been in Cherrygrove for a few days. I figured I'd wait it out here until the weather clears up. Apparently the trip to the next town's a bit more of a distance.

[An amused smirk because lol Heather Cheryl you're concerned about Cybil?

Also that awkwardness is endearing.]

Coffee, huh? I don't see why not. I'd be glad to.

[video / private] AHAH I was wondering if anyone else had seen the original! Thanks, man!

[foolishwren]

_{[Just wait, once the awkwardness wears off, Heather will cease to be endearing pretty fast. Teens with attitude, REPRESENT!]}

Oh, good! A few people are out there slogging around in the middle of nowhere in this, so I figured I'd better ask.

_{[It'd kinda suck to have finally met Harry's only friend only to have her, like, die from pneumonia or something a few days later.]}

Yeah, the trip to Violet's like a week long, maybe shorter if you move fast. But then, with all the snow on the ground, traveling probably won't be so easy.

_{[She brightens when the offer is accepted.]}

Really? I mean-- ... well, yeah. Cool! I still have stuff to work out here before I leave, so ... we'll probably end up there around the same time.

Violet's a lot bigger than Cherrygrove. More stuff to do, y'know?

Hey, I can even show ya the good spots to eat!

_{[... and potentially get recognized and kicked out for that one time she and Liquid Snake got drunk and ran around destroying public property-- I MEAN. ... yeah maybe that wasn't such a good idea.]}

[video]

[in-themachine.livejournal.com]

[A chuckle.]

Looks like someone's having fun despite the weather.

[video]

[foolishwren]

Expecting Cooj not to have fun is like expecting lines at the grocery store not to be really long on the one day you're in a huge hurry.

The mutt could entertain himself in an empty room for hours if I let him.

[video] - best depiction of dog-derps everywhere

[imthe-shit.livejournal.com]

[ He's leaning on a pillow which is resting on a blanket which is resting on Marlboro. Best heating system. As for where he is, he's gotten the chance to room with some nice NPCs in Violet City. ]

Hey, kid.

[video] CUJO DERPS THEREFORE HE IS DOG.

[foolishwren]

Hey, Dave!

_{[Heather looks a bit more cheerful than the last time he talked to her.]}

Some weather, huh?

[moving pictures!]

[usednastyplot.livejournal.com]

[You're gonna get faaaaaat~]

Thank you for that demonstration on the earlier stages of cabin fever.

[Vidya]

[foolishwren]

_{[Naaah, she'll burn it all off while beating you up for insinuating that she'll get fat! <3]}

You're welcome.

Do you feel educated?

action!

[gochuugoku.livejournal.com]

[Here comes Yao down the hallway, wearing his white hooded cloak and soaked to the bone. He has the hood over his head and his Bagon was using the end of his cloak as an umbrella, but the poor little guy is also soaked. He stops walking and removes his hood.]

Aiyaa! It wasn't this bad this morning, aru! I need a nice hot shower...

[Zongxian stops hiding under Mother's cloak and tries shaking the water off.] Bagon!

action!

[foolishwren]

_{[And as it so happened, Heather was on her way out! ... Or. Well. Down. She wasn't going out anywhere.]}

... You look like you could an army of umbrellas, too

[Voice]

[lynx-likes-red.livejournal.com]

You think if they don't get out soon they'll start tearing things up?

[Hey, Haru FINALLY red the handbook about pokemon. He was bored enough to actually read.]

[Voice]

[foolishwren]

Hm? Nah, they know that if they do that, I get Godzilla to squirt them.

_{[...She's just not gonna mention that Godzilla is her tiny Toddlerdile, because in the event that this guy gets the pop culture reference, him imagining that she actually had Godzilla at her beck and call was funnier.]}

[Action]

[used-slackoff.livejournal.com]

[Hey, is that clawing and snuffling at the door? Seems like something's trying to get in.]

[Action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[... It doesn't catch Heather's attention at first, but you can sure bet it catches Cujo's. Ears standing straight up, he turns to the door with eyes wide as dinner plates. Then he starts whimpering and pawing at the tiny gap underneath.]

[Alessa hears the scuffling too-- but quite the contrary to Cujo's behavior, she turns a scarlet gaze onto the door for a moment, before slinking over underneath the bed.]</sub>

[video] ...so yeah. late. shhh

[usedgigadrain.livejournal.com]

[But Homatsu wants to greet her fellow Growlithe. HI HI HI PLAY WITH MEEEEEE! ME ME ME NOT HER ME! LEMME GET RIGHT OVER THERE AND PLAY!

Oh my gosh she is so excited to see another playful Growlithe and LEAPS at the screen, trying to jump right through. So puppy paws followed by smooshed puppy nose followed by more pawing and finally teeth as she tries to chew her way to the ~new friend~]

Homatsu, what are you--

[And finally, the gear has something other than frantically barking puppy on it. Kisame scoops her right up (and gives her an earscritch--shhhh, he's totally manly and tough) and grins down at the gear.]

So that's it. They are full of energy, eh Heather-san?

[video] it's okay <3

[foolishwren]

_{[... HOLY SHIT ANOTHER GROWLITHE OMG. Cujo instantly abandons his 'playmate' and comes barreling over to the bed, flying onto it with a bound and just sort of... obscuring Heather's entire being in the screen's view.]}

ACKPLTHGHDFG!

_{[HI OMG]}