The Lady and the Pack Mule

[infinitejustice]

Who: Athrun Zala (infinitejustice) and Miki Hoshii (honeygatherer)
Where: Goldenrod City Department Store
When: September 22, mid-afternoon
Summary: Miki gets Athrun to go shopping with her. Hilarity ensues. Perhaps some bonding time, too.
Rating: G
Log:

It had been quite some time since Athrun had last spoken to Miki face-to-face. Despite the two of them being in the same city for weeks, they managed to keep missing one another.

That would not last, though. For this afternoon, Athrun found himself standing outside the department store in Goldenrod City. He had arrived fifteen minutes prior to the meeting time...which was purely out of force of habit, because Athrun realized what a mistake it was after he got there.

Miki was lazy. So lazy, in fact, that Athrun would be surprised if she managed to arrive on time. Athrun couldn't help but suspect that he as going to have to wait there for quite some time yet.

Comments

[honeygatherer]

Miki honestly couldn't help that she's so popular; every day she found herself doing a new thing in this city. At first she didn't understand why so many people would stay in a single city, but after taking up residence in Hayate's rented house, she discovered that it was just like it was back home. She could focus more on the events in the city and more importantly, the department store!

So he may be surprised to see that she also showed up early. When shopping is involved, the matter is taken more seriously, and therefore her excitement spilled out in a responsible manner.

"Athrun-kun!" With the wave a hand, she'd skip right up to him, excited for the day already.

[infinitejustice]

Athrun was surprised, but he hid it well this time. He put on a smile. "Wow, you're early for a change. I guess that means you're excited for this, huh?"

[honeygatherer]

"Whaaa?" The comment took her by surprised and left her to pause briefly to think on it. "Miki's never been late before, right?"

If she had been, she must have dismissed it already for some reason or the other. Carefree in all she did, it would be pointless of her to hold onto something that simple. Too much effort was wasted on matters like that. Coming to a full stop before him, she'd lower her hand just to clasp them behind her back.

"Shopping is enjoyable, but Miki doesn't think it's anymore exciting than anything else here."

[infinitejustice]

"Oh, I can remember a few occasions." Apparently Miki hadn't thought much of it at the time. "So, does that mean that everything here is exciting, or that you're not as excited about shopping as I thought?"

[honeygatherer]

"Miki's found that singing is a lot more fun when there's a Pokemon involved." She paused briefly as though that remark needed to settle in. "That Chimecho that was caught recently has been a lot of help."

Still without a name at that. Even when motivated, Miki couldn't focus on the most basic of things that other individuals would immediately work on. Names, while important, have to really click in her mind. That's why all of her Pokemon so far had unique names.

Mostly with an 'i' attached to the end.

Nobody said she couldn't be vain when naming her Pokemon. The scheme made her popular amongst NPCs at least, so why not amongst actual people?

"Is that strange? Chimecho is definitely Miki's favorite Pokemon now, but without a name..." At least she tried to think a bit more around him, a struggle to be on the same knowledgeable level as himself.

So much that she forgot the original question.

[infinitejustice]

Athrun opened the door and gestured to Miki to enter. There was no reason why they couldn't talk and walk at the same time.

Though this time Athrun's confusion showed. Despite everything, Athrun still had trouble understanding her.

"Does it bother you?" Athrun himself used to have, and sometimes still had, difficulty coming up with names. So it was something he could relate to.

also sorry I am tl;dr'ing this thread. I've been slow everywhere so thought I'd make up for it

[honeygatherer]

What a proper gentleman; if Miki hadn't been used to this kind of treatment from the world around her, she might have commented on it. Athrun to be nice to her was just another expectation she's come to expect in the world of Pokemon.

"Mm yes, it bothers Miki." With a few swift steps, she'd move forward and into the building with grace that came from years of practice. Even while out and about, she couldn't be sloppy. "It might even bother Miki's Chimecho too."

Now she really had to come up with a name. Not able to bear the burden of one of her Pokemon being upset with her, she'd focus on that topic more than the store around her.

"Do you have any ideas?" Speaking of having difficulty coming up with names, she'd ask it of him.

Hey, I'm enjoying getting tags like this. No need for an apology!

[infinitejustice]

Athrun followed Miki into the building and let the door swing shut behind him. He decided he'd let her choose where in the store to go first, so he matched his walking speed to hers.

"Do I have any ideas..." Athrun thought on this for a bit. Reflecting on his own troubles, he thought on the six Pokémon whose Poké Balls were attached to his belt; Justice the Scizor, Savior the Pidgeot, Aegis the Kingler, Jachin Due the Golem, Miguel the Abomasnow, and Nicol the Gallade. Three mobile suits, one base and battle site, and two dead comrades...

"To be honest, I don't. Not at the moment, anyway. Actually, I...had a lot of trouble deciding upon names for my own Pokémon back when I first caught them. They went months without proper names." He looked a bit guilty as he recalled that time. "Didn't help that everyone I knew had named theirs early on, either. At times I had the same worries as you about it."

It felt odd to Athrun, being this open about his emotions with someone who was neither from his own world nor was either Rise or Yayoi. But Lacus made few suggestions that Athrun wouldn't try at least once, and this one was no different.