foolishwren | 77. [Video/Action]

Current Mood: nostalgic
Current Location: Ecruteak City

77. [Video/Action]

_{[It always seems like autumn in the woodland town of Ecruteak. But when it's actually autumn, the colors are mind-blowing.]

[Heather might not be one of those 'let's walk quietly in nature and be alone with our thoughts' types, but she can appreciate the beauty of the world when she sees it! Which is why, accompanied by a small chorus of footsteps as she and the rest of the gang tromp into Ecruteak City, she's got the 'Gear out and is pointing it around at the explosion of color decorating the trees.]}

Man, why did we skip this place again? It's friggin' gorgeous. Reminds me of home!

_{[New England autumns were one thing she had sort of missed since coming here. There weren't many of those]

[As the quaint buildings start coming into view, though, the 'Gear spins as she turns to the rest of the group-- her father, Henry, and the terrible trio of Kaito, Crow, and Aoko. ... Along with, of course, the Pokemon ambling alongside them all (or being carried).]}

Hey, I dunno if you guys wanna go on to the inn or whatever, but I'm gonna make a quick stop at the Mart, okay? If you don't wanna come in with me, I can catch up with ya later. _{[Doop doop gotta restock on sun lotion. :I]

[She heads into the store, greeted by the swish of the doorway and a burst of air-conditioning-- summer's still clinging on enough to make the sunny day hot, even in September. A couple of minutes of browsing later (a nice shady inn room and a nap sound awesome right now, so she's not exactly into lingering), she approaches the counter with her purchase (and a little bottle of Aprijuice for Godzilla because he had tugged on her shirt and looked pitiful when they passed the display) and puts them down, digging in her bag and speaking to the cashier a little distractedly.]}

Hey, could you feed the receipt into my 'Gear so I can keep track? Thanks.

_{[She sort of forgot the camera was on, apparently-- but the cashier takes the 'Gear and does so, before pausing and blinking down at the screen.]}

... Oh! Your name's Heather Mason?

_{[... Buh?]}

Uh... yeah. Why?

_{[Is it bad that her first thought is that this guy is like the Jennies from Violet and actually remembers that time a warrant for arrest went out with her name on it? But he doesn't seem accusatory-- instead, he's propping the 'Gear on the counter and bending down to get something from under the register.]}

We received a package with your name on it a little while ago and we've been holding onto it. Here.

_{[He passes over a slender box, with a few stickers and stamps on it-- looks like it's been sent around a few different places before it finally found her. Looking confused, Heather takes it, looking down at it with furrowed brows.]}

... There's no sender name on it?

_{[The cashier shrugs, making a baffled 'iunno' noise.]

[Heather glances downwards at the two Pokemon who had come with her into the shop, who look just as baffled as she does. ... Well, Arty kind of looks... angrily baffled, but there you go. Then, shrugging, she slips the top off the box and pulls out its contents.]}

_{[Two Pokeballs ... and a worn-out old cloth green headband.]

[Heather's heart sinks immediately. She knows exactly who this package is from...]

[A few minutes later, she emerges from the shop, the bandanna carefully folded back into the box and put in her bag for safekeeping, but the Pokeballs are still in her hand. Stopping once she's out in the sunlight, she puts her bag down and looks at the balls contemplatively for a moment or so, before turning her head to look at the autumn foliage again.]}

... I'll take care of 'em, Dave.

_{[... Wow okay, mumbling to thin air like he could hear her. That was dumb. ... But it made her feel a little better, anyway.]

[Rolling her shoulders, she puts a grin on her face and tosses the Pokeballs into the air, releasing their residents in the usual bright flash of light. Even if Snake was gone... it's good to see them again.]

[She raises her arms to meet the joyful trills of the larger of the two, and as she does so, looks over her shoulder and hollers--]}

HEY, DAD! Wanna see what Lisa's gonna look like when she's all grown up?

_{[ooc: Responses will come shortly, gonna go get somethin to eat B). Action for anyone in Ecruteak!]}

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

_{[The Togekiss turns her head. It's hard to smile with a beak (especially when the beak is mostly obscured by FLUFF), but she manages it. HELLO.]

[Heather's own smile, meanwhile, grows a little more subdued. Not unhappy... this, after all, isn't quite as much like the disappearance of Phoenix... or god forbid, the awful winter night when her own father's departure had been confirmed... She's sad, but... well, it's bittersweet. At least Snake left her something to remember him by.]}

They don't.

_{[She nods to Sunny, and also to the reclining Torkoal.]}

The cashier in there just handed them to me...

... They, uh... belonged to a friend.

[Heeee picks up on her shifting demeanor, and understanding washes over his expression as he nods apologetically]

It was pretty nice of them to leave you a parting gift.

_{[She nods, still smiling. Leaning down, she puts Sunny on the ground so that she can reach into her bag and dig for the box.]}

Yeah.

_{[It made it better, somehow... especially knowing that it had been meant specifically for her. It was a surprise... she hadn't known that Snake trusted her that much... that she meant so much to him. Finding out now made her chest ache, both with pride and a little regret.]

[Locating the box, she pulls out the headband.]}

He left this, too.

I'm just gonna... take care of all of it. He looked out for me more than once...

[His gaze flickers from the Togekiss to the headband, and his silly little lopsided grin returns]

'M sure he'd appreciate that you're returning the favor, Heather.

Yeah, I think he would, too.

_{[After a second's thought, she reaches up with the headband to tie ir around her forehead, Solid Snake-style. Sunny trills as she does so, stretching out her neck to nip gently at the cloth.]

[Heather gives her a pat, then turns to Kaito and spreads her arms.]}

Whatcha think?

Do I look like I'm ready to kick some asses?

[thumbs up]

You look ready to kick several hundred butts.

Daaaaamn straight!

_{[... It's too warm out to keep wearing that headband, though, so Heather unties it and pulls it off for now.]}

[snrk]

... who was it? Someone I knew?

Not sure... did you know Snake?

Old guy, bristly mustache, sounded like he'd been eating cigarettes for twenty years?

Can't say I've ever talked to the guy, actually. How long was he here?

About as long as we were... maybe a little less. I remember he arrived a little before the flood last summer.

_{[She absentmindedly strokes Sunny's downy plumage as she speaks.]}

... haa. About as long as me, then.

[reaching out to pat the Togekiss too]

_{[Sunny twitters happily at the stroking, stretching out her massive head to nibble gently at Kaito's fingers. ... MUCH more gently than, say... Wren.]}

Yeah.

... He was a really good friend of mine.

_{[If it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have been able to make it to her father as quickly... not to mention the way he'd always taken the time to check on her and see how she was doing. That sort of thing seemed inconsequential at the time, but... it was really hitting her now.]}

[d'aaaaw gentle giant bird. his gaze flickers from the bird to Heather, expression apologetic]

... I think you'll see him again. Some day.

_{[Sunny really is the epitome of a gentle giant... and you can bet anyone still traveling with Heather after this will be subject to Big Momma Owl Cuddles.]}

Yeah? I sure hope so... I gotta show him how good I've gotten at using his cardboard box technique.

[eyebrow quirk]

Do I wanna ask?

_{[OHO.]

[Heather solemnly holds up a finger.]

[And then starts to dig around in her bag again. ... Pulling out a folded-up cardboard box. Which she proceeds to unfold into a more regular box shape.]}

.... It works better if you're not looking straight at it.

. . .

[JUST... WAITING TO SEE WHERE THIS IS GOING]

Edited 2011-09-13 14:02 (UTC)

_{[Meanwhile, Sunny's getting excited at the sight of the box. Oh boy! She knows THIS trick! Snake had done it all the time. She begins to trill excitedly, waddling forward to try and shove her head under the box as well.]

[Heather flaps an arm at her.]}

NO, girl, c'mon. I'm trying to do a demonstration here!

Kaito, make her stand by you, all right?

[a laugh, and he whistles]

C'mere, giant fluffy owl Pokemon.

_{[The Togekiss willingly tromps over to Kaito at that point, leaning over to rub her fluffy head all over his shoulder once she's there. She'd been cooped up inside that ball for a long time and was lonely!]

[But at least she's out of the way for Heather's demonstration no-- .... holy shit Heather is gone.]}

[PAT PAT PAT for the Togekiss as he watches Heather's stunning disappearance.

... or rather.

Heather placing a cardboard box over her head.

STARE...]

_{[Well, to be fair, the box is on the ground. She's totally under it, right?]

[go on go look underneath it.]}

. . .

Heather, I don't think cardboard boxes make good camouflage.

_{[THE BOX SITS.]

[And .... appears... boxlike.]

[Boxes can't talk, silly! Obviously if she answered him, she'd be breaking character. Right?]}

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