56. Video/Action for the Violet City Pokemon Center

[foolishwren]

<sub>[This is the last place Heather wants to be. And when the feed blinks on, it shows.]

[There's the usual busy murmur characteristic of a Pokemon Center lobby on a Monday morning. It's been awhile since Heather's been under these fluorescent lobby lights, and she looks a little washed-out and pale. Sleepy, too-- and blinking in irritation at the bright lights. She must have rolled out of bed not that long ago, and her cheeks are still flushed from the cold walk between the hotel and the Center.]

[Judging from the pink plush cushion she's leaning on and the colorful Poke-care posters splashed all over the wall behind her, she's sitting in the lobby. There's a small (say, less-than-a-football-sized) dusk-colored egg in her lap-- but weirdly, none of her Pokemon can be seen. Normally at least one or two of them are present in her transmissions, either chillaxin' in the background or (in Cujo's case) doing something derpy, but none of them are there.]</sub>

Hey, guys... uh...

I just thought I should letcha know, Phoenix is... um, he's in the Pokemon Center here in Violet. He went yesterday to get somethin' for his cold and didn't come back, and apparently he uh... collapsed.

But they said it doesn't look like it has anything to do with him being sick, it's like...

_{[She rubs at one of her eyes with the heel of her palm, grimacing.]}

... Those faints that people've been going into lately.

So, he's... um... he's doing okay.

_{[Around this point, a familiar (to some) shiny blue head pops into the frame-- Phoenix's Quagsire partner, Butch, is clambering up onto the seat next to Heather. ... And onto Heather.]}

Ooff-- Butch, jeez, hang on-- _{[She hastily grabs her bag (the smaller, owlless one) and slips the egg she was holding inside before it gets crushed under the giant amphibian's weight.]} Anyway, uh-- I'll-- ... I'll be taking care of his Pokemon till he wakes up, I guess. But yeah, I just thought I'd give people the heads-up, in case anybody was... I dunno, worried.

_{[Weirdly, Butch looks as stupidly happy as ever (as he curls into a ball that's like twice as big as the lap he's trying to sit on), so Phoenix can't be in that bad a state. But for some reason, Heather still looks very uncomfortable-- and she's not the sort to worry unnecessarily about somebody when she knows they're more or less fine.]}

... Anyway. So, uh-- hey, Kaito? _{[She addresses the camera.]} You guys gotten to Violet yet? I thought maybe if you were here, we could all-- I dunno, meet up for lunch or somethi-- hey! <sub>[The camera jostles wildly-- looks like Butch is batting at it playfully. It shakes around a bit before the view steadies again-- upside-down and facing in the opposite direction, towards the front desk.]

[Two Nurse Joys are standing behind the counter and looking in Heather's direction very conspicuously. One of them has an expression darkened by consternation-- the other looks a little confused. The first says something quietly to her under her breath, and upon hearing it, the second one's eyes widen and she claps a hand over her mouth.]

[The camera jerks again as Heather grabs it back from Butch and turns it back to herself, but her attention is on the nurses now-- her expression briefly unreadable. But hey-- it's no secret to anybody who's been in Johto since the summer that Heather's relationship with the nurses of Violet City was an antagonistic one. Hell, she turned that Center upside-down on more than one occasion-- and laughed in the face of their authority, with no regrets (or shame)! Oh, the youthful shenanigans! Any second now she's gonna direct her gaze back at the camera and do a classic Heather "THEY MAD?" smirk or something, right?]

[.... Right?]

[Heather swallows hard, hunching her shoulders a little, as though trying to look a little more inconspicuous-- and then hastily shuts the camera off. Her last expression before the feed cuts out is one of... jeez, it kinda looks like ... guilt.]





[ooc: For those in the Pokemon Center, Heather can either be found milling uncomfortably around the edges of the Center lobby, looking like she just saw a Wanted poster for herself, or (most likely), hiding out in whatever room Phoenix's in to avoid contact with the Nurse Joys as much as she can.
ALSO, for those who weren't around back when this happened, this is why Heather's not feeling too hot about having to see these particular Nurses again.]</sub>

Comments

[action]

[bakaitoukid]

[He shakes his head]

Lemme get it. You look like you could use a pick-me-up, anyway.

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[At first she looks like she might protest-- but you know what? She doesn't actually mind the idea of getting treated. So she grins ruefully and takes the flower from his fingers.]}

Heh, actually, I guess I kinda do.

Though, you showing up has officially made this situation at least 30% better.

_{[Behind the ear the flower goes~]}

[action]

[bakaitoukid]

[He watches as she slips the flower behind her ear, expression thoughtful, before he shakes his head and offers her his hand]

Only thirty? I'd think it was at least fifty.

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[With a mock-dainty curtsy, she takes his hand.]}

Well, normally it'd be fifty, but given the locale...

_{[She's grinning as she says it, but... she knows he knows what she's talking about. If any place in Johto was going to put a damper on her mood, it was... well, this one. D-dammit Phoenix why'd you gotta go into a coma here.]}

[action]

[bakaitoukid]

[He rolls his eyes] Then I guess it's time for a change of scenery, right?

[with a nod at the nurses (who had been watching the exchange) he takes Heather's hand and tugs her out of the Center, leaving the judging pink-haired Joys behind as they both step out into the street]

Where do you wanna go? 'S been a while since I've been to Violet.

[action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[She nods, catching the gaze of those nurses at about the same time he did and sort of-- ... shrinking behind him a little.]

[She spat in authority's face on a ridiculously regular basis without even blinking an eye, but this was just... this was different. She had really hurt that poor woman back in September.]

[So, she'll just be following along behind Kaito hastily and just a little meekly until they get outside-- whereupon she stretches her free arm, breathing a sigh of relief.]</sub>

Same, really... s'weird having such a small selection compared to Goldenrod, isn't it? There's a diner kinda near here we could go to, I guess. S'not bad.

[action]

[bakaitoukid]

[Whew... feels good to get out of that atmosphere...]

What's it called? [Lifting his own free hand to point in various directions, waiting for Heather to let him know which one to head in]

[action]

[foolishwren]

_[Amen.]

It's got a kinda punny name-- like-- I dunno, 'Butter-Free' or something. Because they serve healthy food. ... Or claim to. They're probably lying, because it still tastes good.

Iiiiit's-- that way. _{[When Kaito points the right way, she starts walking, hiking her collar up tighter.]}

[action]

[bakaitoukid]

... Butter-Free? Are you kidding? Geez... who comes up with the names in this place?

[But he is going in that direction!]

[action]

[foolishwren]

No idea. I guess corny restaurant names are just universal.

_{[She heads along beside him-- the diner she mentioned isn't too far away. Sure enough, the logo's a stylized Butterfree. But judging by the fact that they seem to serve exactly what you'd expect from a diner, the name is probably a little misleading.]}

Re:

[bakaitoukid]

You'd think that someone out there would realize how lame these names are and say something about it. Keh... too much to hope for.

[Oh well. Food is good! He tugs her inside]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Jeez, she can walk on her own, dude! But hey, she's not complaining.]

[The diner's a small little thing-- one of those narrow buildings that almost looks like one of those modified train cars. Maybe that's even what it is.]</sub>

I guess people just go for cheesy or something.

_{[She slides into one of the booths, flopping into a slouch that's relieved rather than guilt-ridden. GOD it was awkward being back in that place... Somehow the fact that she had no idea which one of the nurses she'd actually attacked made it even worse.]}

But anyway... how was your trip back here? Everyone make it in one piece?

[bakaitoukid]

[He slides into the seat across from her just as a waitress slips by their table to drop off menus]

Yeah, we're fine. [a little grin] Now we just have to wait for Kay's dad.

[foolishwren]

_{[Snagging one of the menus, Heather drags it over to herself. She had come here before, but had hardly tried everything yet. It was nothing compared to Goldenrod, but it wasn't terrible.]}

Yeah?

Funny thing, I talked to him a little earlier. He ... seems like a pretty nice guy. I think he was on his way.

[bakaitoukid]

... yeah, I talked to him too. [grin] He is a nice guy. Kay's pretty lucky.

[in more ways than one, but he's perusing his menu now with great concentration]

[foolishwren]

Yeah.

_{[Aaaaand she'll be doing that too, for the same reason. She's more than a little jealous, but hey-- Kay was DOING something about this and as much envy as it inspired, Heather was rooting for her.]}

The pancakes they have here are pretty good.

[bakaitoukid]

[He was... well, he couldn't deny he was somewhat jealous. But Kay was his best friend, and the last thing he wanted to do was be jealous when she had the chance to settle some long-time issues with her father in Johto]

-- really? I was thinking about getting waffles...

[foolishwren]

_{[In the end, Heather was more angry with herself than she was at anything else. It all boiled down to things being her own damn fault for not taking advantage of it sooner-- like Kay was doing right now. As she should be.]}

Okay, you get waffles and I'll get pancakes and we'll see which is better.

_{[Dinner? WHO CARES ABOUT IT BEING DINNER. They're gonna have breakfast for dinner.]}

[bakaitoukid]

[LET US IGNORE THE ANGST FOR THE MOMENT AND DISCUSS PANCAKES AND WAFFLES]

Deal! [he's getting chocolate chip :B]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[THIS IS THE BEST STRATEGY.]

[So when the waitress comes back, Heather hands the menu back over.]</sub>

One order of blueberry pancakes, please.

... Oh, and coffee.

_{[Because she hadn't had any that morning thanks to RUNNING THE HECK OVER TO THE CENTER and this probably had not helped her mood much.]}

[bakaitoukid]

Chocolate chip waffles for me.

And a coffee, with extra sugar.

[handing his menu to the waitress and giving her a playful wink. SHE IS A CUTE WAITRESS]

[foolishwren]

_{[Pffft. SAME KAITO AS EVER. She flicks a bit of wadded-up napkin at him once the waitress is out of hearing range.]}

Do the flower thing. She'll swoon.

[bakaitoukid]

[he blocks it and gives her a look]

But flowers are for you, Awesome-san.

[foolishwren]

<sub>[She smirks and reaches for one of the plastic straws sitting in a cup at the end of the table, next to the salt and pepper and little vase with a plastic flower in it.]

[Her tone is teasing as she rolls up another little wad of napkin and meticulously sticks it into the end of the straw.]</sub>

Uh huh, I bet you say that to aaaall the girls.

[bakaitoukid]

[he sees what she's doing and is already preparing his own straw-weapon, ready to dodge when she starts firing]

Just the ones I really like.