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

[ACTION]

_{[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.]}

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]

_{[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.]}

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...]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Edible awesome, huh?

[Well, hey, at least her enthusiasm is amusing.]

Yep! I don't exaggerate about stuff like this. _{[Spoilers: she totally does. But that probably goes without saying.]}

Hey, did you get the other package too?

I sent that out a little after ordering the food, so it might not've gotten there yet.

Uh huh. Sure.

Other... hmn.

[Give him a second to look around, and shove Dog out of the food basket.]

Yeah. Got it.

Oh, wow. Mail goes fast here...

Did you open it?

_{[One sign of adulthood over childhood is somehow getting more excited about other people opening the presents YOU got them instead of the other way around. But Heather's pretty okay with that, all things considered.]}

Uh... not yet, no.

[He was distracted by the NEST uniform.]

_{[If only this were video. She'd likely notice the uniform... and ask about it, because whoa that does not look like it was made in Johto.]}

Well?

C'mon, I think you'll like it!

_{[jesus Heather cool your jets he's like a million years old-- not everybody opens presents in a whirlwind like you do.]}

Give me a minute... Got old joints.

[GRUMBLE MUTTER MOVING SLOWLY TO THE PACKAGE B(]

_{[That's okay, Ironhide, she'll wait. c:]

[... And while she waits, she'll keep on chattering.]}

Originally I was just gonna send you the food, but then I saw the other thing and was like '... Dude. That is PERFECT.'

So I decided to send that too.

Huh.

[Okay, okay, he's got it. And he's opening it now.]

What... is it?

It's for your Pokemon!

That one you started with is a steel-type, right?

I thought she was a rock...

Well, she could be a steel-type. You know, if you evolve her.

And... she needs this to change?

Mmmhmm!

... But, y'know, if you DON'T wanna change her, you can always give it to Egg or something. It boosts steel-type moves on its own, too.

Huh.

[He's quiet for a while, before he adds, also quietly.]

Appreciate it, kid.

_{[You can hear the grin in her voice.]}

Don't mention it, ol' man. Merry Christmas.

Yeah. You too.

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

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