High above him there's a swallow, winging swiftly through the sky.

[shuttermouse]

Who: Chie Hori & YOU! (plus one private prompt)
Where: Goldenrod City
When: January 8-10, depending on the prompt
Summary: Psych Up Friday and some other things happen.
Rating: PG? Potential talk of cannibalism in castmate threads.
Log:



( A - FRIDAY )
[ Now that the festive season is over, life returns to a familiar hum of normality. Well, as normal as a world full of Pokémon can possibly get, anyway. Chie's been spending most of the new year outside, putting both her camera and the boots Tsukiyama gave her to good use. It's nice, though she's starting to contemplate hopping on the train to Kanto because there are things to see and photograph there. Maybe when winter turns to spring...?

Today, Chie's feeling more upbeat than usual and she isn't sure why hugging strangers suddenly seems like a good idea. She won't be doing that, however - her newfound cheer is going to be expressed through her passion for photography.

...Which is apparently why she has constructed a selfie stick and is now approaching friends and strangers in Goldenrod with a very important question: ]

Hey, wanna take a selfie with me?

( B - SATURDAY )
[ ...Why was yesterday a thing that happened, she's not even a fan of taking selfies. Oh well, she isn't too bothered about it once she gets past the initial "...but why" after she wakes up in the morning.

She decides to go to the department store in the afternoon, where she'll be spending a few hours wandering around. After she's done checking out the TM section, she can be found... staring... at the vending machine? If you take a closer look, you'll notice that she's watching a Joltik behind the glass. ]

Continue to the left, Arae. The Snickers bars are right next to the Doritos.

[ The stupid machine refused to drop her snack after she paid for it, sending in the tiny spider to get it is better than sticking her arm in and getting stuck. ]

( C - SUNDAY; LOCKED TO deaftly )
[ It's great to have a brigade of Zigzagoons around. They make good spies, and most people aren't going to think anything of seeing a common Pokémon like that around. Especially not Naki, so finding out where that man lives is super easy. So sometime in the afternoon, Chie decides to simply invite herself over.

Surely he won't mind too much if she just casually walks in carrying some Chinese takeout. ]

Comments

C of course

[deaftly]

I swear to fucking god, if you lost your keys in a lawnmower again--

[Naki pulls the door open sounding completely exasperated, but he's not greeted with his roommate, instead it's uh...]

...Hi?

[well that was a nicer greeting than it could have been??]

[shuttermouse]

Yo, Naki-san. [ She holds out one of the takeout containers. ] I brought Chinese food. Or whatever passes for Chinese here.

[ Does Pokéworld even have a China???? She has no idea. ]

[deaftly]

...Oh. Uh. Thanks? Do you want to come in, I guess?

[He steps back so Chie can enter, though he still looks super confused by this. There are a lot of squids that have crowded around the door. DEAR GOD THERE ARE SO MANY.]

[shuttermouse]

[ Chie enters, and looks at all those Inkays. Why do you have so many, Naki. ]

...Did your squid squad get bigger?

[deaftly]

Oh, yeah. I'd feel really weird selling the eggs, so I usually only give 'em away to people I really trust. But all the others I hatch on my own, so...

[So there are a fuckton of squids. They all chirp happily in greeting though, so at least they're polite!]

A

[veggie_vamp]

[Draculaura had been trying to find the elusive Meowths people had told her were gold mines. There's a Snowrunt at her feet, and a Spritzee sitting on her shoulder. When asked the big question-]

Oh My Ghoul, finally, someone who knows what a selfie is!

[shuttermouse]

[ The word "ghoul" immediately gets her to tilt her head to the side, confusion flickering across her face for a moment as she peers up at Draculaura. She's never heard the word used like that before. #tokyoghoulproblems ]

You're the first I've asked who knows about them. The locals just give me confused looks.

[ ...As a side note, it's probably worth mentioning that Chie is 4'3". She is very tiny and looks about twelve, despite being over twenty. ]

[veggie_vamp]

[Ditto, actually. Short girl who looks like a high schooler but is 1,600 years old. Anyway, she comes in close, ready to pose.]

So how should we do this? Pouty lips, peace signs, or just natural beauties?

[shuttermouse]

Let's go with peace signs.

[ ...The "but why" is going to be so strong in the morning but she is so goddamn upbeat and in the mood for selfies right now. Anyway, she raises her stick and does the peace sign with her other hand. ]

[veggie_vamp]

Perfect!

[She leans in, making two peace signs with her hands. Even the spritzee's getting into it, with feathery fingers making a V.]

A

[codeforhope]

[Chihiro, as he usually tends to do on the weekends, is on his way to the Department store. It's been a bit of a rocky week for him so far, so getting out of the house to get some fresh air seems like a good idea. He's got his Meganium walking alongside him to help with carrying bags, but they both stop when Chie suddenly approaches them.]

Ah...a selfie?

[Of course he knows what one is, but that sure is a way to start a conversation.]

[shuttermouse]

[ Oh, hey, that's a familiar face. Chie smiles, her tone growing more cheerful when she recognizes Chihiro. ]

Yup, Fujisaki-san! You know what those are, right?

[codeforhope]

Mhm! You...want to take one with me?

[He's not too surprised at Chie wanting to take pictures- that's her thing, after all- but he wasn't expecting for her to want to take one of both of them. She's usually taking pictures of other things, and all.]

[shuttermouse]

I wouldn't have asked if I didn't. [ She looks at the Meganium. ] Your Pokémon can be in the pic, too.

[codeforhope]

[The Meganium perks up at the mention, stepping a little closer to the both of them. Chihiro, meanwhile, smiles shyly.]

Alright! We'll take a picture with you, Chie-san.

A

[irenicly]

[Today is shaping up to be an interesting day, as far as Banjou's concerned-- he's much more willing to do Pokemon battles than usual at nothing else, and there's a slight skip to his step as he walks.

Maybe that's why he doesn't see anything strange at all about Chie's question.]

A selfie? Sure, Hori-san.

[shuttermouse]

....Lift me up, then.

[ HEIGHT DIFFERENCES... ]

[irenicly]

[...and because he is the happiest Banjou right now.]

Of course!

[Up you go, Chie! ...This is going to be stupid.]

[shuttermouse]

[ ...Yeah. Fortunately Chie does not care how stupid it is when she sets the timer and lifts her selfie stick. Three, two, one, click, the picture has been taken. ]

What do you think, Banjoi-kun?

[ She says, as she holds the camera to let him take a look at the picture on the screen. ]

[irenicly]

[He'll probably find this really stupid in a few minutes, but in the immediate moment, he can't help but enjoy himself. He doesn't even react to being called Banjoi!

...that's probably a sign that something is deeply wrong, actually.]

This picture is great, Hori-san! You'll have to show me more of your photography.

A

[diosmio]

I beg your pardon?

[Sorry, he's just going to stare at the selfie stick because while he's attempted to catch up on things from ahead of his time here, he's apparently missed out on learning that word. Odds are once he learns what it is, he'd be more than happy to take one, but right now, he's just looking at that invention like it's the most bizarre thing he's seen today.]

[shuttermouse]

Do you want to take a selfie with me?

[ Chie tips her head to the side, looking up at him. Is this guy from a world without selfies? Because he looks like he is, given how he's looking at the stick. ]

...It's a self-portrait photograph.

[diosmio]

[He's been here a while and knows things work better than they do back home, but there's still this moment where he thinks “but won't that take forever though.” Once that passes, he merely shrugs and responds in his usual slightly smug manner.]

A portrait, hmm? Well, if that's all, then who am I to deny your request?

[If anything, he feels like she should be honored that he's willing to take a photo with her, but he'll keep his ego in check for now and not mention that.]

[shuttermouse]

Okay. [ She pauses. She's 4'3" (and happens to look about twelve) so the height difference between them is going to be an issue... ]

You'll have to lift me up or squat for us both to fit in the picture.

[diosmio]

[Well, he's not going to lower himself that's for sure.]

Very well then, if that's necessary, then there's really no other choice.

[So he'll opt to lift her up instead.]