foolishwren | 78. [Video/Action for Ecruteak Inn]

_{[It's a fairly common occurrence for Godzilla the Totodile to hijack Heather's 'Gear-- he's sort of had an affinity for filming ever since he first hatched, after all. But apart from his one little act of philanthropy a few weeks back, he's actually been surprisingly absent for the most part, at least in the sense that he hasn't been filming with the 'Gear much, with or without permission.]

[But TODAY when Heather's feed fizzles on, it's not the blond trainer but instead the little blue crocodile Pokemon.]

[His pebbled brows are furrowed, though, and ... are those BAGS under his eyes? Is it even possible for reptiles to GET bags under their eyes? Is Heather just rubbing off on him or what?]

[He seems to be sitting on the little balcony outside his trainer's room at the Ecruteak Inn, stubby legs dangling off the edge between the rail bars. Ecruteak is a quiet town at night, and as such there's none of the loud nightlife that characterizes many late-night city posts. Just crickets, and the occasional sound of people or Pokemon moving about in the brightly-lit room behind him.]

[It's a moment or two before he actually says anything, but the look in his red eyes is deeper and more contemplative than the normally self-centered little animal usually has.]}

... What do you have to do to be a good Pokemon?

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I think we all could.

_{[... She pauses for a second or two, swinging one leg slightly where it hangs off the bed.]}

... I haven't been sleeping too well.

Not since she... y'know.

_{[Heather hadn't been too close to Aoko (though who knew what might've happened if she'd stayed? Heather had definitely been fond of her), but that disappearance had been alarming in a way that most of the other ones Heather had experienced hadn't.]}

[a pause, and his gaze flickers away again]

... me neither.

_{[Her eyes flick over to him as soon as he looks away, naturally.]}

... S'sorta the first time I've ever been really worried that other people might disappear right out from under my nose, before.

I wasn't that way about any of the others. SAD, but not... worried.

_{[Because they'd all been people she hadn't been talking to immediately beforehand... Oh. Well, except... for that time she'd thought Phoenix might disappear while he slept. But... she doesn't exactly wanna think about that. Even if it hadn't come to pass... the fact that he'd vanished later anyway just made recalling it unpleasant.]}

... Are you worried?

_{[The underlying question of 'I'm not weird for feeling that way, right?' is fairly obvious in her tone. Being frank about her own feelings has always made other people more willing to open up, in Heather's experience...]}

[It's helping, a little bit, at any rate. Even with his hesitation, he is... trying to answer her questions honestly]

Yeah.

[He lets out a breath. It's the first time he's admitted this out loud]

After Kay and Johan-- and now Aoko. 'Course I'm worried.

[He wants to go home, of that there is no doubt. But the sudden disappearances... the leaving without warning... those have to stop]

... D'you ever think it'd be a good idea to maybe have something... written, or whatever, ahead of time in case ...?

_{[It had never occurred to her before, but...]}

[a light shrug]

Kay did. Aoko sorta did too, didn't she?

... I guess.

_{[She pauses a moment or so.]}

... She left me a hairpin.

_{[It had been a touching present... but somehow, it hadn't held the same sense of closure as Snake's headband had. The disappearance had just been too damn sudden...]}

. . .

Heh. Sounds like Aoko.

_{[Despite the somber topic, a slight smile flashes across Heather's face.]}

... Heh. Yeah, from what I saw of her while she was here...

She seemed like a good friend. I can see why you two were such good pals.

... she is. I've known her since we were kids.

How'd you become friends?

_{[This is Heather LATCHING ONTO that little opening. The goal's to get him to talk, after all... it doesn't necessarily have to be about the fact that she's gone... Every little bit helps.]}

[letting out a breath]

... we met when we were six. She was waiting on her dad to get off work, right outside Ekoda's clocktower. She looked lonely, so I gave her a rose.

... So you started the flower thing early, huh? You charmer.

[a laugh]

It's part of being a magician.

Still. I think that's sweet.

_{[The fact that he'd gotten a lifelong friend out of it was sweet, too. Heather had never stayed connected with any of her friends from that age... at least not the ones from THIS life. But then, Claudia suddenly busting all up into her life after all that time probably didn't count, either.]}

And you guys were just... friends ever since?

[another nod]

Friends ever since. Sounds kinda cheesy, doesn't it?

_{[She grins.]}

A little.

But I think real life is allowed to be cheesy every now and then. _{[There were too many times when it WASN'T.]}

Keh. Movies are supposed to be cheesy.

Nah. For movies to be cheesy, someone needs to make a conscious decision to make 'em that way.

In real life when it happens, it just happens.

Doesn't mean it's supposed to be cheesy.

Pff.

_{[She reaches over to flick the side of his head.]}

I like cheesy. So there.

Oooi. [rubs the side of his head] What if I don't?

Then I guess you'd have to stop giving people flowers.

'Cause that's cheesy as hell.

78. [Video/Action for Ecruteak Inn]

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