foolishwren | 76. [Accidental Video/Text/Action for Olivine]

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Current Location: Olivine City

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76. [Accidental Video/Text/Action for Olivine]

_{[The feed opens in a decidedly innocent fashion. It's jauntily wobbling back and forth as its holder walks, and the screen is filled by a big blue :D face, backed by an even bluer sky. ... And the occasional waving green tips from the sand dunes he's passing. Yes, Butch the Quagsire is on the beach, waddling happily down to the shore with Heather's 'Gear-- perhaps stolen in hopes of being able to carry on a happy WOOOOO-filled long-distance conversation with Flapper.]

[But an angry-sounding gurgle rings out behind him-- and Butch turns to face his pursuer, who is equally blue, but a great deal smaller.]}

Ttt-t-toto!

QUAAAA--

_{[What follows is a very shaky view of the sky jittering around as the two Pokemon engage in a fierce tug-of-war over the gadget. Occasionally their faces pop into view, and while it's more or less impossible for a Quagsire to actually look angry, it's obvious that it's a heated debate. Finally, apparently deciding that it's too much trouble, Butch lets go of the 'Gear with a huffy 'QUA!' and waddles off.]

[Godzilla's concerned red eyes appear in front of the screen as he checks over the 'Gear delicately, as if checking to make sure it wasn't damaged. Anyone who's gotten used to the Totodile's presence in Heather's transmissions before may note that he seems a lot more... contrite than usual, maybe? Which has actually been the case ever since the OMNOM ELBOW incident a couple months before... strange.]

[In any case, once satisfied, he sets off waddling back across the sand, determinedly. If anyone's actually cared enough to keep watching that long (or is just tuning in now), his destination becomes apparent immediately.]

[In a shady spot juuuuust where the sand starts to shift over to grass and trees, Heather is sprawled on her back on an unused old picnic table, arms folded behind her head, along with her wadded-up vest for a pillow. There's a few old chip bags and soda bottles scattered around the little sun-dappled area, but it would seem that whoever left them had probably packed up and left much earlier, since Heather's the only one there.]

[... That's probably why she's there... judging from the dull, despondent quality of the way she's staring up at the foliage above.]

[And then she's lost from view briefly, as Godzilla struggles to clamber up to her, first onto the bench-seat, and then the tabletop itself. Then he's standing next to her and fumbling with the 'Gear, giving viewers a view first of her jeans pocket, then one hand, then the card-deck pattern on her shirt, then (inexplicably) a zoomed-in view of worn-out wooden table-top, before it finally settles on her face as he presents the 'Gear to her with a self-important gurgle that can only be an attempt to tattle on Butch.]

[At first, she doesn't even turn her head. It's pretty obvious her mind is elsewhere. But when he tries again, this time nudging her shoulder with the 'Gear, a flicker of irritability crosses her face and she looks over.]}

... Zilla, what--

_{[... Oh. It's the 'Gear. ... And the damn red light is blinking.]

[... Heather frowns with lidded eyes and shoves the 'Gear away.]}

Get that thing outta my face.

_{[The Totodile makes an apologetic (and slightly hurt) sound, but relinquishes the 'Gear when she takes it and ends the feed abruptly.]}

[Private text to Harry Mason and Henry Townshend]

Hey

I was thinking maybe we could try and head east to Ecruteak City in a few days??


We've been here awhile now

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[THEN HIS MISSION HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.

... also he is just going to hold onto her for a bit until she feels like pulling away, as long as she doesn't mind]

_{[She's in no hurry... so chances are they'll wind up just... sitting like that for quite some time, rocking slightly with the sound of the waves on the shore ... because if she doesn't let herself have some kind of rhythmic motion, she has a feeling she might start crying again and the last thing anyone needs right now is more of that.]

[Eventually, she does sit up, gently slipping her arms back from around his neck and grimacing as something in her back makes a stiff cracking noise. Ow. That position had been a little awkward.]}

Ow... note to self, make more effort to hug with better posture...

[oooow yeah, he's feeling the stiffness as he pulls away too, lifting his arms above his head to stretch as he hops off the bench]

And when you're not crouching down, either. Geez... [stretching a leg too, ow]

_{[Squaring her feet on the bench seat, she rolls her shoulders to get the kinks out of them and watches Kaito with a crooked grin.]

[Her eyes are puffy and cheeks still glossy with tears, but she's not crying anymore.]}

Sorry if I contributed to any future back problems you might experience later in life...

[still streeeeeetching, but he's glad to see that she isn't crying anymore... and that she seems to be a bit more cheerful]

I'll send you the doctor bills, how's that?

_{[Fortunately, Heather rarely stays in tears for very long. Crying isn't something she's ever been ashamed of-- so it's not so much that embarrassment cuts it short or something. It's more that in Silent Hill, wallowing in your self-pity for too long usually just meant that eventually something would come along and EAT you. Nnnnnot exactly a great environment for fostering big long weepfests.]

[She's swiping at her cheeks, now.]}

Sure... sounds like a plan.

So, um... y'won't tell anybody I was crying, right?

[teasing]

Ooooi, are you kidding? 'S great blackmail material~

_{[Fake scandalized look.]}

C'mon, Smiley! Don't make me noogie you.

You'd have to catch me first.

_{[... For a second, she braces her hand against the edge of the table and jerks like she's about to pounce at him, then lets out a quiet laugh and waves a dismissive hand. YER OFF THE HOOK THIS TIME, KAITO.]}

Maybe later.

Y'know, when I'm not all dehydrated.

_{[Wiping a hand across her nose, she starts to get up from the table.]}

[He lifts his hands up, palms forward, and tenses himself when she does, prepared to run (but he at least still look amused)]

In that case, maybe you should stay seated.

[there's a pause as he lowers his hands to his sides, slipping them into his pockets, and his amused grin fades]

... oi, Heather... [he didn't really want to bring it up again, not after she seemed significantly more cheerful, but...]

What's her name?

_{[The suggestion gets a snort-- she's been sittin' long enough, it's time to get back on her feet-- as she steps down onto the sandy grass.]

[Her own grin fades as well, when he asks the question... but the gloom has passed, at least for now. They'd had their heart-to-heart and it had helped, but it didn't get rid of the problem. No, there were still things to worry about, and she's not about to keep him in the dark. If anyone deserves to know, it's a friend like him.]

[So she straightens up, shoving her own hands into her pockets.]}

Claudia.

Claudia Wolf.

_{[Seem familiar, Kaito? You fought her daddy in a nightmare that one time...]

[Sighing, she turns to look out at the dunes.]}

... You might've already talked to her...

[... yeah. That name is familiar. And he's talked to her all right, although he never got a name.]

Ha... another Wolf... [he trails off, gaze flickering to the side, before it returns to her]

I'll keep an eye out for her, just like that Vincent guy.

Yeah... wolves tend to be bad news, don't they?

_{[The statement is joking, but there's no mirth to it.]

[In fact, she steps forward a little bit-- right in front of him.]}

If you do talk to her... she is... she's nothing like Vincent at all.

Not even remotely close.

... That's why...

_{[Trailing off a bit and rubbing the back of her head as she tries to think of the words.]}

... That's why what you told me... it's... it's true for a lot of things. MOST things, actually.

... But not her.

_{[Another pause. And then...]}

If she says anything about my father... it's not true.

No matter how true she makes it sound.

. . .

[He doesn't step away when she approaches, and he watches her carefully as she talks. At the end, he nods]

... yeah. I won't believe a word she says. [A breath] Promise.

... Thanks.

It's... she's not like Vincent. _{[... You already said that, Heather.]}

Vincent... he'd just tell you shit to get to me. He probably came out of his mother's womb lying.

... But Claudia ... whatever she says, you can be sure she believes every single word of it with every fiber of her being.

_{[Her gaze had trailed over to the ocean as she spoke, and the look on her face is ... well, it's sad, but... somehow different from that chaotic look of combined anguish and anger she'd been wearing before.]}

... I don't wanna lose anybody else to that place. Not here. Not where it's so far away that it shouldn't even be able to touch anything.

[she may feel his hand sliding over her shoulder again]

You won't. She's not gonna hurt you, or anyone else. She's...

[a beat] She may be here, but Johto is a big place. You've dealt with her once before, Heather.

You're strong enough to do it again, if you need to.

_{[A smile tugs at the corners of her mouth and she lets one of her own hands rest on top of his.]}

... Yeah.

Yeah, I think you're right.

_{[After all, this time, the world wasn't at stake. ... Just her personal comfort. And you know, she could deal with that.]}

... Thanks.

For talking some sense into me.

[a nod, and that smile is definitely encouraging]

Don't mention it.

And if she tries anything, 'm pretty sure she'll have to deal with me afterward, anyway. [a scoff] And who would want to do that?

Heh, yeah. Can't think of anyone who would. You'd smile 'em to death.

That's ONE thing that's sure different now... this time, Dad and I have a posse.

_{[... Well? It was kinda TRUE!]}

[pulling his hand away and giving her a light nudge on the shoulder]

Do you know how scary posses can get? Do you?

_{[Smile growing, Heather goes to give him a nudge back-- a slightly rougher one.]}

I guess if I don't, I'll find out, huh?

[he tilts backward a bit but doesn't stumble]

There's no line of defense better than that of a posse.

Except maybe a barricade.

_{[She makes a move to playfully shove him while he's leaning backwards, but ... her energy reserves have honestly been a little depleted these past few days, so once her hand is pressed to the front of his shoulder and ready to push, she just sort of ... stops, realizing fatigue and her usual rough-housing don't really work too well together.]}

... Heh. I should probably head back to the hotel room... I've been brooding out here for like... most of the morning.

[He notices this lack of energy and eyes her once, before giving a light shrug]

I've got a better idea that's much better than brooding in your hotel room.

[aaand he reaches out to wrap his fingers around her wrist, giving her hand a light tug]

Ice cream? 'S hot enough.

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