86. [Video/Action for Ecruteak] Christmas morning.

[foolishwren]

[ACTION]

<sub>[You know what makes a good alarm clock on Christmas morning? ... Besides small children? ... DOGS.]

[There was once a time when a Christmas with the Masons involved Heather using her father's bed as a trampoline. But by this point, she's more interested in sleeping in. You know, in general. But that's hard to do with Pokemon around.]</sub>

Ugh, Cooj-- have you been eating the old socks at the bottom of my bag again...?

_{[Shoving the Growlithe's blunt muzzle away from her face, she sits up in bed. Most of the other Pokemon (those that are out of their balls) are still asleep, but THAT DOESN'T STOP CUJO OF COURSE. He drops something slobbery in her lap and then shuffles backwards on her bed, rumpling up the blankets in the process. She flaps a hand at him, rubbing her eyes.]}

C'mon, boy, you're acting like it's Christmas or someth-- ....

_[OH.]

...

_{[She looks down at him briefly.]}

... Okay, go wake up everybody else.

_{[Half the time what she tells him to do seems to go in one shaggy ear and out the other, but she doesn't need to tell him to do that twice. As he leaps off the bed in an explosion of happy panting, she finally turns her attention to the object he dropped in her lap.]}

... My flashlight?


[VIDEO]

<sub>[Has anyone ever wanted to see live footage of somebody trying to strap one of those dog backpacks to a Growlithe that won't hold still?]

[Well, anyone checking out the network around lunchtime on Christmas Day will get to watch the Adventures of a Hapless Trainer and Her Hyperactive Dog for awhile as Heather tries unsuccessfully to get one of those things on him for about twenty minutes, outside in the snow.]

[After lots of yelling, falling down, and a brief period of getting dragged around (he's big enough to do that by this point...) she loses her grip and he eventually runs off with the damn thing half-fastened. Probably gonna lose it in a snowbank somewhere. Picking herself up, with a grumble, she takes back the PokeGear from whoever had been filming this charming home video (probably Harry or Henry) and shakes her head.]</sub>

Man, last time I get Cujo a Christmas present. Ungrateful mutt... _{[She looks out at the orange dot that is Cujo, clearly visible in the far-off snowy landscape, and waves dismissively.]} He'll be back when I start giving treats to all the others.

ANYWAY, uh...

_{[Turning back to the screen, she swipes a hand under her nose briefly. It's been running in the cold.]}

So, Merry Christmas, everyone!

Haven't opened all the gifts yet, but uh, thanks to everyone who sent stuff for us. ... Hope all of mine got through, I kinda mailed some of 'em last minute...

_{[OH WELL. Shrug. They'd get there sooner or later.]}

I'd better go make sure Cooj doesn't lose that thing in a ditch or something, it cost good money. Later!

_[BLIP.]


[OOC: For Ecruteak action, feel free to encounter Heather wandering around town later! She'll be trying to hunt down the friends of hers who are in town so that she can hand them their Christmas swag in person.]

[ALSO feel free to assume your character got their present from Heather, if you haven't already seen the list! I don't think I forgot anybody...]

Comments

[video]

[quickattackjack]

<sub>[Guess who's been up since the ass-crack of dawn and isn't the least bit tired?]

[THIS GUY.]</sub>

Merry Christmas, Heather! I hope Sandyclaws has been good to you!

[video]

[foolishwren]

_{[She grins. They don't have a Christmas tree (there's not... exactly much room in that cramped little hotel room) but there had been quite a few mailed presents stacked outside the door.]}

I think he was pretty good to me, yeah.

Honestly, I'm surprised.

I was expectin' a pile of coal.

[action]

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[Also hanging out in the snow and nice weather today is one (1) FBI agent with a sort of mixed contemplative expression, but he's very quick to offer happy grins to anyone and anything because Christmas!]

[And that's how he'll greet Heather when he spots her, after first throwing a snowball for Tricia so she'll be busy for a minute or two trying to find it amongst, you know, all the snow. (Hahahaha.)]</sub>

Heather! Merry christmas.

[action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[TROMPING THROUGH THE SNOOOOW, ON A .... NO-HORSE... SET OF BOOTS...]

[Oh! Oh hey!]

[Heather looks over her shoulder, spotting the FBI agent and grinning. Holiday cheer's sort of blotted out the uneasiness they had both shared over their amnesia-weekends' memories for the moment, at least for her.]</sub>

Hey!

_{[She hurries in his direction-- she'd actually been looking for him.]}

[action]

[no-ufo-ending.livejournal.com]

_{[Henry had been minding his OWN DAMN BUSINESS in dream-land but then there was a huge excited orange LUMP on him. He squawks and fights at Cujo blindly, arms still restricted in his sleeping bag.]}

Heather! Get him off! He's eating me!

[action]

[foolishwren]

_{[Setting the flashlight aside, Heather grins and leans out of bed, planting a hand against the floor so that she can slide out of the blankets. Because getting out of bed like a normal person is for lamers.]}

All right, Cujo, leave 'm alone.

_{[She reaches over to headlock the squirming dog and sort of haul him off of the photographer's sleeping bag.]}

You owe me.

[video]

[subvertio.livejournal.com]

Whatever you used worked well enough. [He barely gets the gift giving holiday, but here is Vanitas, holding up that COMMON SENSE jar and pointing it upside down over the screen of his gear.

Here Heather, seems like you need some of this for that hyperactive dog you tried to strap a bag onto. The show was worth the popcorn he had this morning for breakfast, at least.]

[video]

[foolishwren]

_{[A blink, and then a glance down at the camera.]}

Oh hey! It got there.

_{[Beam. And no, she's not going to address the Great Cujo Bag Chase. That was a perfectly reasonable action on her part.]}

[Action]

[hallowbethylies.livejournal.com]

Merry Christmas, Heather...

[Action]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Yeah, Heather didn't... know her slimy little cult buddy was in town. She had no idea, in fact... so she very nearly walked right past him, making to tromp right into the PokeMart with Cujo in tow-- apparently she'd finally gotten those saddlebag-style things on him, and they're loaded with both gifts for her friends who are in town AND a few she hadn't mailed ahead of time.]

[But needless to say, that sneer is enough to stop her in her tracks. She freezes, then turns around partially.]

[... Oh, great.]</sub>

... Vincent.

<sub>[Attention grabbed by his trainer's hesitation, Cujo (who, in person, is a veritable MONSTER of a Growlithe in size, especially with his winter coat in full bloom) turns, ears perking. He's not the ornery sort, so rather than growl like a Pokemon who was more aware of their trainer's feelings might, he merely pants happily and makes trot forward and greet Vincent.]

[But he's halted by Heather reaching out to grab the scruff of his neck and keep him by her.]</sub>

When did you get here?

[video]

[bakaitoukid]

[SO.

guess who is munching on a zombie cookie as he follows Heather around Ecruteak, a packed together ball of snow cradled in his gloved hands? if you guessed THIS GUY, then you guessed correctly! He is being fairly sneaky, too, quietly tip-toeing behind her and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Oh, and he has his present for her, tucked away neatly into the many pockets of his jacket and pants. But that'll come later.

After the snowball assault]

[video]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[She's actually pretty relieved he liked the cookies. Not that, you know, she thought he WOULDN'T, but still. It's not every Christmas that you get to tell somebody that something DETONATED EXPLOSIVELY during the creation of their present.]

[Needless to say, Heather would be a poor example of her age group if she didn't expect SOME kind of snowball attack to come her way at some point while outdoors in the snow, but from Kaito? Right now? Not so much.]

[With Cujo trotting far ahead of her down the street with his saddlebags (SHE FINALLY GOT THEM ATTACHED) loaded with stuff to mail off, she's sort of got her mind elsewhere as she walks.]

[... Well. Until she catches his reflection in a shop window, anyway.]</sub>

--!!

_{[She starts to whirl around, raising an arm automatically in self-defense.]}

HEY!

Action

[harryusedworry.livejournal.com]

[Getting out of bed being pushed into the room by a pokemon. WHY DID YOU SENT HIM TO WAKE THEM UP? Half asleep yawning.]

Is it Christmas already?

Action

[foolishwren]

<sub>[BECAUSE CUJO IS THE BEST AT WAKING PEOPLE UP. After getting lots of practice on Heather, he knows all the best spots to shove his cold nose against to successfully encourage the average human to crawl out of bed grouchily.]

[Plus Heather's a little big to be jumping on the bed like she used to. You know, in such an enclosed space.]

[She's already seated on the floor by the end of Henry's sleeping bag when Harry gets up.]</sub>

YEP!

Merry Christmas and all that.

_[BEAM.]

video

[buttpinched.livejournal.com]

Merry Christmas.

[ He's not one that really celebrates it, but he figured it would be nice to reply... if only he could smile a bit more..... ]

video

[foolishwren]

To you too!

_{[She'd ask if he wants to talk to her dad, but Harry doesn't seem to be around at the moment.]}

video;

[thefourthtry.livejournal.com]

Merry Christmas, Heather.

Thanks for the map, by the way. I like the notes. Very helpful.

[And she means it.]

video;

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather grins widely when she sees who's calling.]}

Hey, no prob! I figured it'd come in handy. Gotta help the new kids wherever possible, y'know?

_{[She nods a little and points at the screen.]}

Maps like that have saved my life a few times. Far's I'm concerned, EVERYBODY should take notes like that.

_{[... That is to say, haphazardly and sometimes seemingly-irrelevantly.]}

But yeah. Merry Christmas!

[video]

[exeggutorhead]

[Envy's looking pretty amused at Heather's adventures with Cujo and the dog backpack. He's also got the scarf she gave him draped around his shoulders.]

Merry Christmas to you too.

[video]

[foolishwren]

_{[She salutes to the screen-- and would y'look at that, she's wearing the charm bracelet he sent her.]}

Right back atcha!

The scarf looks good on you.

video

[youfartknocker.livejournal.com]

Uh- I have a Christmas present for you, baby. Uh, huh huh huh.

Why don't you come over and open it? Uh, huh huh huh. [ Nevermind the fact that he's kind of in a cave right now? ]

video

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather's not exactly interested in being hit on on Christmas morning. So she hands it to her Quagsire. Enjoy limitless footage of a blue thing silently going :D at the screen, Butthead.]}

[Voice]

[show_my_cannons]

... Christmas what?

[Voice]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[HEY THERE IRONHIDE. She was waiting to hear your voice!]

[The grin she's wearing is practically audible in hers.]</sub>

Mornin'!

You don't know what Christmas is?

[video]

[itsthebutz.livejournal.com]

Merry Christmas, Heather!

I got my present from you. Thanks a bunch. [He grins.] Though I'm not sure what you're trying to imply with those ropes.

[video]

[foolishwren]

Just that everybody from your world seems to fall off of things a whole lot.

Figured I might be able to help out with that.