foolishwren | 84. FOURTH WALL video/action/whatever. GO NUTS. Backdated a little to the morning.

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84. FOURTH WALL video/action/whatever. GO NUTS. Backdated a little to the morning.

_{[Another day, another long shift at work. Heather doesn't really mind, though. It's one hell of a difference between the hectic stress of the job in the department store that she had last year. What a difference having SANE bosses can make, even if the job is more boring.]

[As the morning sun creeps higher behind the snowclouds and lights up the powder drifting down from the sky, Heather is seated at one of the stools behind the counter in the diner where she now works, and is making herself incredibly useful by balancing all the salt-shakers she can find on top of one another.]

[And then putting all those little sealed packets of sliced cheese she can find on top of THOSE.]

[It's a quiet morning, okay? Leave her alone!]

[Needless to say, one of the owners of the diner-- an old married couple-- spots his newest employee working on the Leaning Tower of Cheesa and just sort of shakes his head, sighing. Kids these days.]}

Miss Mason, as much as I hate to stifle the budding artist in you, the soda machines need cleaning.

_{[Heather heaves an enormously-dramatic mock sigh as she gets up.]}

Ugh, finnneeee. You're just jealous of my deeply creative spirit.

You got me. I'm turning green. Dish-soap should be in the back.

_{[Having chill bosses is AWESOME. Heather had decided she liked having bosses she could banter with almost as soon as she got the job. She sticks her tongue out at him as she passes, on her way to the back door. And then she has an idea!]

[Pulling out her 'Gear, she hits the network button.]}

HEY GUYS. Who wants to watch me CLEAN SHIT?

_{[Because clearly if she had to do boring things, it would improve everybody else's lives to watch her do them.]

[But behind her, the boss clears his throat meaningfully, and Heather rolls her eyes.]}

Oh, that's just Danny!

_{[OOC: COME AT ME BROS. Feel free to assume that Heather is elsewhere if you don't feel like dealing with Danny-- 4th Wall is like CRACK: THE EVENT, so I'm happy to stick her wherever.]}

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_{[Good question, Heather. Laura visibly hesitates. She was going home, wasn't she? She thinks so. The whole school day had been a blur.]

[...god, she could really use a fix.]}

Home ... I was just on my way from school. I don't know how I got here.
_{[Are there even schools in pokémonland? She's picking at her sweater again when she glances out the window.]}

There wasn't any snow out. What is this place?

On your way from-- ... oh.

You're, uh--

... Okay.

_{[A newcomer. MUST be. But... didn't they usually wind up in New Bark? Or.... or that Mahogany place? Heather pauses, looking around a little bit and swallowing.]}

... You might wanna sit down.

I am sitting down.

_{[She says slowly, looking up at Heather with a bit of a 'really?'-smile, and she spins just a little on the stool to emphasize this. She's been sitting there the whole time, after all.]

[But she does look serious after a little while, expression more expectant.]

[Cough it up, Heather. No matter what you can tell her she's probably been worse places.]}

_{[... WELL SHE WAS BEING RHETORICAL, BUT-- she can't help but let out a quiet chuff of laughter at the little spin. Okay. At least the girl isn't like... freakin'.]}

Does the name 'Johto' ring any bells for you?

Because that's, uh. Where you are right now.

Ecruteak City, in Johto.

... Well, it's more of a town, really, but.

_{[She shakes her head: that doesn't mean a thing. And nah, it takes a bit for this girl to freak out properly. Strange places aren't that big of a deal right now. Besides, she doesn't even really want to be home anyway. Maybe this is death somehow? That would make things a lot easer.]

[She leans back and looks out the windows again, thoughtful as she considers that thought. Her answer comes out a little distracted as a result.]}

Yeah, even my town is bigger.

_{[And that is saying QUITE A BIT.]}

We're a long way from Washington, aren't we?

... Washington? You're from Washington?

_{[... For some reason, that just makes Heather laugh. Of course, the girl definitely SOUNDED American, but hearing it confirmed is just... well. Poor lady. WELCOME TO THE CLUB, LAURA.]}

Yeah, sorry to say. A LONG, long way.

_{[She sticks a hand out across the counter. Might as well make nice.]}

I'm from Maine.

_{[AT LEAST LAURA WILL GET TO GO HOME IN A FEW DAYS except oh wait it'd ... be much better if she stayed here... um.]

[Laura accepts the handshake because just like Heather, she's got basic manners down. Not that that stops her from still having that universal teenager tease in her.]}

Hello, Maine. It's very nice to meet you.

_{[... Haha okay she kinda likes this girl.]

[Heather smiles. Careful to keep it a NICE smile rather than her usual >8D BWAHAHA GONNA MESS YOU ALL KINDS OF UP NOW one.]}

Likewise, Washington.

You're takin' this pretty well, all things considered.

_{[She only shrugs at that.]}

Well, I didn't want to be home right now anyway. This place doesn't look too bad. I could use a jacket though. Or a coffee.

_{[It could still be a dream, so there's no use freaking out about dreams. Right? You might want to let her know she can't return at some point, but for now she's got that coffee on her mind.]}

... do they take dollars here?

_{[Heather can relate to that. Home isn't particularly a place she wants to be, either.]}

Technically, no... you didn't get any of the local currency when you got here?

_{[That's a little puzzling... Heather remembers starting out with a LITTLE pocket money...]

[But she shrugs and shakes her head.]}

No biggie. I'll getcha something. I've racked up enough tip money to last me awhile.

_{[Have a real smile this time. Laura really appreciates that - she still feels cold from being outside.]}

Thanks, Maine.

_{[She falls quiet for a bit after that, drumming a finger or two against the counter. Starting out with pocket money, huh? That would have been pretty nice, but no, she just .. found herself on the bustling street. Which brings another thought to the forefront of her mind.]}

You know, I think I saw a horse out there. Is this Johto place always this busy?

_{[She speaks over her shoulder.]}

In this place? Eh, not so much-- it's the CITIES that get REALLY busy.

_{[Coming back over with a coffee pot and a mug.]}

There's always something happening, though... it's, uh.

A little different from where we're from, though.

You know, like... America. On Earth.

So what's this place? Dreamland?

_{[She might as well make sure, right?]}

_{[Heather sets the mug down and pours the coffee into it (CAREFULLY. Yes, she is capable of being careful. Try not to faint.)]}

HEH. As much as I sometimes wonder? No.

_{[Isn't it nice having people explain weird things to you in typical teenager talk instead of wtf cryptic statements, Laura?]}

It's just... another world. In general.

_{[Laura takes the mug when she's done with a nod of thanks, warming her hands on it before taking a sip. It's pretty good and it warms her up, which is all she wanted.]

[And yes. Please continue with the teenager talk, it makes things a LOT easier.]

[She doesn't really have a good answer to that though, so she just ... muses on that little piece of information.]}

Think they'll think I've lost it if I tell people back home?

... Yep. Probably.

_{[NO POINT IN SUGARCOATING IT.]}

_{[TRUE THAT.]}

Guess I'm a little crazy, then.

_{[She accepts it easily enough. In all fairness, it's likely due because she's just a little bit high, still - she always has a quick fix before class.]}

Ehhh, it's okay. We're all mad here.

_{[... Laura. 8I Crack is bad.]}

_{[No, not really. She laughs at that, a sort of half-giggle half-laugh as she spins the coffee cup in her hands.]}

Some Wonderland this is. It didn't even have a rabbit hole.

Right?

I was watching like... bad old B-horror movies one night. And then I woke up here. No transition, just suddenly... boom. 'You're in a different world. Deal with it.'

_{[She smiles but lets it die down into a more curious expression after another mouthful of coffee.]}

You must have been here pretty long if you have a job and everything.

_{[Heather tosses a dishcloth over her shoulder, casually. It's kind of cool to be the resident expert.]}

A year and a half.

... About.

Wow, really?

_{[She does sound pretty awed at that. Because that is actually a really long time, and she leans forward a little in an almost conspiratory manner.]

[Tell her more about this place, o resident expert!]}

Yep! I guess you could call me an old-timer. ... Well, when it comes to being an alien, anyway. ... Or whatever you wanna call it. I guess 'alien' evokes the whole 'little green man from Mars' image a bit too much.

_{[She's grinning, though, and it's obvious that she's not bothered at all by the fact that she's been stuck in a completely different world for eighteen months.]

[Why should she be? The last thing that could POSSIBLY have been tethering her to her home-world, apart from the worldly possessions that had been what was left of her life with her father, had shown up in Johto just a few weeks before. Everything is peachy-keeeen.]}

Yeah, you look more yellow to me.

_{[She smiles back and finishes the coffee, puts the cup neatly back on the counter and rests her forearms on it, tilting her head a little. She's really curious now.]}

Don't you miss home?

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